MWDC: Harry Potter and the Guardian's Light
by Finmonster
Summary: Part 2 of the Marvelous World of DC starts here! Harry Potter has just entered a world of magic and wonder. As he begins his fateful journey, he must make new friends, face new enemies and weild a power that magic itself knows not!
1. Revelations

**The Marvelous World of DC: Part 2: Book 1:**

**Harry Potter and the Guardian's Light**

**Chapter 1: Revelations**

_July 31__st__, 2012, Somewhere just off the coast of Britain,_

The winds howled as a storm surged over the rocky coast of England. Waves roses high into the air, only to come crashing down upon the rocks with a thunderous din, accompanied by the noise of the powerful winds. A small island just off the coast suffered steadfastly under the assault, as the sea soaked its barren soil. Upon the island sat a lone structure; a rickety, two-story shack. It was constructed from warped, water soaked wood, and its roof was missing shingles in some places. The whole structure looked like it could topple over at any moment.

The inside of the building was not much better than the outside. The bottom floor was a combination of a kitchen and a living room, with a small kitchen area accompanied by an old, dining table with deteriorated chairs, and a washed out couch. A fire place with the remains of a now dead fire in it was built into the wall near the couch. The floor had no floorboards; instead it was made of tightly packed dirt, as if the house itself was designed without a bottom. A set of questionable looking wooden stairs lead up to the second floor, which was separated from the first floor by a rickety wooden ceiling held up by exposed wooden rafters.

Two young boys each no older than twelve; slept in the downstairs area, one on the couch, the other on the floor. The one on the couch was noticeably overweight with a mop of blond hair. He wore a pair of flannel pajamas and slept with a large blanket. The boy on the floor had a head of unruly black hair and was noticeably skinny, especially compared to the other boy. He wore pajamas that were noticeably to large for him, and was covered by what appeared to be a table cloth. He was wide awake, looking at the ground with green eyes behind a pair of glasses with tape wrapped around the middle to keep them together. A scar in the shape of a lighting bolt sat on his forehead.

Lying on his belly, he drew the picture of a birthday cake in the dirt with his finger. Across it he wrote the words "Happy Birthday, Harry!" in big letters. He smiled to himself as he examined his handiwork.

"Make a wish, Harry," he whispered to himself, before blowing on the picture, erasing it from the dirt floor. Folding his arms, he laid his head upon them with a sad look in his eyes. Suddenly, Harry heard the unmistakable sound of movement outside the door, despite the storm outside.

"So this is the place, Miss Enchantress?" a deep voice asked from outside.

"Yes this is it, and I told you before, call me June," a female voice responded.

"Er, righ'. Sorry 'bout tha'. So should I knock?" the gruff voice asked.

"Well I think they all might be asl- Hagrid wait!" the female voice cried.

` There was a loud boom as something hit the door causing it to fall to the ground with a loud crash. Standing in the doorway was a mountain of a man. Easily standing 10 feet tall, he took up most of the door frame, with his stout frame giving him a round appearance. He wore a large fur coat along with tough work pants and leather boots. His hair was a mass of curly, black locks and his face was covered by a shaggy beard. A pair of warm, brown eyes looked around bewilderedly.

His eyes met with Harry's before he scratched the back of his head bashfully, "Sorry 'bout that" he apologized as he stepped into the room.

"What are we going to do with you, Hagrid?" the female asked, with an exasperated sigh as a woman stepped into view. She was an attractive woman with long black hair and bright green eyes. She wore a black jacket over a green shirt, along with beige pants and black, leather boots. She closed the pink umbrella she was holding and shook the excess water off, before handing it Hagrid, who took it with a smile.

Looking around the room, the woman; June, saw Harry and the other boy, who was now awake, looking at her.

"Oh, hello," she said kindly.

Suddenly, there was the thundering sound of footfalls coming down the stairs. Emerging from the stairwell were two people. One was a middle-aged, obese man. He had a mop of sweaty brown hair and brown eyes, with a thick mustache in the middle of his round face. He was dressed in a set of stripped pajamas and held a shotgun in his shaking, pudgy hands. Behind him stood a skinny, middle aged woman, shaking like a leaf. Her blond hair was done up in curlers and her blue eyes were wide with fright. She wore a long, pink nightgown.

"Who are you!?! What are doing here!?!" the man demanded.

"Hey, easy now," June said, holding her hands up in a non-threatening way, "No need for guns. You must be the Dursleys. Vernon and Petunia, right? I'm June and this Hagrid. We just came to deliver Harry's letter and take him to get his things for school."

"Like hell you are!" Vernon threatened, raising his gun.

"Oh dry up Dursley, you old prune," Hagrid grumbled before grabbing the barrel and twisting it upwards, bending the metal. Vernon pulled the trigger in a blind panic, causing the gun to blow a hole in the ceiling. Hagrid backed away with a satisfied look on his face as Vernon stared at his gun in horror.

"Well, now tha' tha's taken care of let's get down ta business, shall we?" Hagrid asked as he began rummaging around in his large jacket.

"Um, excuse me?" Harry interrupted quietly, a shocked and confused look on his face, "But you never did answer Uncle Vernon's question. Who are you and why are you here?"

"Oh righ'. Sorry 'bout tha'. You mus' not remember me, seeing as you were only a baby las' time I saw ya" he apologized before straightening up to his full height and sticking out his chest proudly, "Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds and gamekeeper fer Hogwarts. An' this pretty woman, is June Moone, better known as the Enchantress and a member of the Sentinels of Magic," June gave a slight bow as Hagrid introduced her.

"Magic? And what's Hogwarts?" Harry asked, growing more confused.

"Let me answer tha', with this," Hagrid stated as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a letter, which he promptly handed to Harry. Taking it, Harry slowly looked over the letter. On the front, the letter was addressed to him, just like the other ones that Uncle Vernon had been trying to hide from him. Turning it over, Harry found the letter sealed with an old fashioned wax seal. On the seal was the picture of a shield divided in four. Each of the four sections contained a picture of a different animal, a lion, a snake, a badger and a raven respectively. Tearing the letter open he began to read it out loud.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards, Sentinel of Magic)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress.

"School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Harry asked, still confused.

"Aye, it's the best school in the country," Hagrid boasted

"It's the only school in the country, Hagrid," June commented with a smile.

"Minor details," Hagrid said dismissively.

"But what does that have to do with me?" Harry asked.

"You mean they never told you, Harry?" June asked, surprise written across her face.

"Told me what?"

"Don't you dare tell him!" Petunia shrieked from behind Vernon, anger replacing fear in her features.

Hagrid glared at her before leaning down and talking to Harry in a serious tone, "Yer a wizard, 'Arry"

"I'm a what?" Harry asked, astonished.

"A wizard," June repeated, concerned.

"No that's impossible," Harry said, shaking his head, "I'm not a wizard. I'm…I'm just Harry,"

"Well 'Jus' 'Arry' le' me ask you this," Hagrid said, "'Ave ya ever done something…strange. Something ya couldn't explain?"

A thoughtful look crossed Harry's face, before he slowly nodded.

"Well, there ya go. 'At would be yer magic, wild as it is at yer age."

"I-I still don't believe you, how can people to magic. That's all fairytale stuff!" Harry said, agitatedly.

"Fairy tales eh?" Hagrid mused, examining the umbrella that June had handed him, "Maybe a demonstration is in order 'en?"

Turning to the fire place, he pointed the umbrella at it. With a flick of his wrist, a ball of fire shot out of the tip, igniting the wood in the fireplace, quickly creating a roaring fire.

"Still think its fairy tale stuff?" he asked Harry, who slowly shook his head as he stared at the fire in amazement.

"But how could you have not known till now?" June asked, "Haven't you wondered what your parents were like? How they died?"

"My parents died in a car crash when I was young," Harry stated.

"What!?" Hagrid cried out in shock and rage, before turning on the Dursleys, "A car crash killed Lily and James Potter? Tha's the lie you've been feeding 'im!?"

"A-A lie?" Harry asked, heartbroken, as he turned to face his aunt and uncle.

"Yes, it was a lie," Petunia answered with contempt, "I didn't see the point of going through this, not again. Mother and father were so proud when Lily got her letter, but I saw her for what she truly was. A freak. Just like you."

"How can you say something like that to your own flesh and blood!?" June seethed as Harry looked down at the ground sadly. Hagrid placed one of his large hands on her shoulder to calm her, before looking at the Dursley's with a stern expression.

"I think we'll be taking the boy now," Hagrid said calmly.

"Like hell you will! I don't care what that old coot says we-" Vernon's rant died in his throat as Hagrid stomped over to him and loomed above him dangerously.

"Don't ya ever insult Albus Dumbledore in my presence again," he said dangerously, before leaning close to Vernon, staring into his wide, frightened eyes, "Yer fighten' awfully hard for somethin' ya obviously don' care about, Dursley. I think we'll be taking the boy now."

Vernon could only nod in fear as Hagrid backed away with a nod of satisfaction. At the same time, June walked over to Harry and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I know this must be a lot to take in, but we're here to help you. Why don't you go pack your things and we can be on our way?"

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"Wel,l someone has to bring you to get your school things. Might as well be us," she replied with a smile.

"Alright," he said with a smile, before looking embarrassed again, "I only have one change of clothes with me though,"

"Is that so?" she said, eyeing the Dursleys, who refused to meet her glare, "Don't worry about it, will pick you up some clothes when we get to London."

"We're going to London?" he asked, excitedly.

"Yep," she replied with a smile. At her encouragement, Harry jumped up and hurried towards the stairs, pausing only to glance at his relatives before racing up the rickety steps

_Later_

Harry walked down the stairs, a travel bag slung over his shoulder. Looking around, he saw his relatives huddled in one corner as Hagrid and June stood talking by the door.

"I don't like this, Hagrid," June whispered, visibly agitated, "How could have Albus have not known this was happening. They hate him. He wears ill fitting clothes, and it looks like they barely feed him. The way he looks at them…Hagrid I think he may have been abused."

"Albus has had a lot on 'is plate over the years. But wha' I think it really comes down to is, I think Dumbledore 'ad a little bit more trus' in family love 'en these…folks deserved,"

"We have to tell him"

"Yer righ'. This couldn't 'ave been what Albus 'ad in mind when he 'ad me bring 'Arry to them."

"You brought me to live with them?" Harry asked, announcing his presence.

"Oh! Um…Er…Yes. After yer parents died, I was the one who brought ya to live with yer aunt and uncle,"

"So you must have known my parents, right?" Harry asked with a thoughtful expression.

"Aye, I did," Hagrid replied.

"Do you…do you think you could tell me about them?" Harry asked, looking down at his feet.

A large smile crossed Hagrid's face, "Aye I could do that. Oh! That reminds me!"

Reaching into his large jacket, he began to rummage around for something in his pockets. From within the depths of his jacket, he produced a simple, cardboard box.

"Now, mind you, I may 'ave sat on it at some point," he explained it, opening the box. Within was a simple chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Across the front, written in red frosting, was "Happy Birthday, Harry!"

"Wow," Harry said as he looked at the cake in wonder, "I've never had one before"

"A cake?" June asked.

"An actual birthday," Harry replied simply, still staring at the cake.

June leaned back, mixture of shock and disgust written across her face.

"I think we should save that for latter, don't you think Hagrid?" June said as she glared at the Dursleys, who refused to meet her gaze.

"Aye," he agreed, eyeing the Dursleys' son, who was staring at the cake greedily, before snapping the box shut, "I think yer right, June,"

"Alright Harry, is there anything else you'd like to do before we leave?" June asked.

Harry eyed his relatives for a few moments before turning back to June and shaking his head.

"All right," June said before turning and leaving through the door, Harry following behind her. Hagrid followed as well, stopping to pick up the door and fix it back into its frame. As he was about to close it fully he turned to the Dursleys and smiled at them.

"Be seeing ya I suppose," he grinned. The Dursleys only started at him, causing the smile to fall from his face.

"Err…right" he mumbled before he fully closed the door and turned away with a sigh. Down on the rocky shore was a small wooden dock, where two boats were tied. June was helping Harry into the boat as Hagrid wandered over.

"So, um June, how did you guys find me anyway?" Harry asked.

"Ah that's easy 'Arry. Ya see June's a magic tracker," Hagrid explained as he began to untie the boat.

"Magic tracker?" Harry asked with a confused look.

"It's someone who can track magical people by the aura they give off. It's a bit of a rare ability among wizards," June explained.

"Yer not giving yerself enough credit, June!" Hagrid boasted as he stepped into the boat, causing it to rock violently, "June is one of the greatest in the world, second only to 'er teacher, Madam Xanadu, 'erself! I mean she's a member of the Sentinels of Magic,"

"Who are they?" Harry asked as Hagrid pushed the boat off the dock.

"It's a collection of some of the greatest wizard in the world. They 'elp make important decisions regardin' the wizardin' world."

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed, turning to June, "That sounds really impressive!"

"I guess," June replied, blushing a bit at all the praise, "it's really just because of my master that I'm in at all. But enough about me, how about we speed this up?" she asked rhetorically, before reaching into her jacket and producing a foot long stick, which she gestured with, causing the small wooden boat to speed along like a motor boat.

"Oh, by the way 'Arry, 'at thing I did back in cottage," Hagrid said with a slightly nervous expression, "can ya not tell anyone I did 'at?"

Harry looked at him with a confused expression before smiling, "Sure Hagrid, your secret is safe with me,"

_Later that day, in London_

Harry followed closely as June and Hagrid led them down the back alleys of London. He rubbed his eyes sleepily as he walked, trying to figure out how they had got to the city. One moment, he had fallen asleep in the boat ride to the shore; the next June was shaking him awake on a random park bench in the city. He chalked it up to some more magic; something he hoped he would understand when he went to this new school.

As he walked down the streets, he saw people openly gawking at Hagrid and his huge size. Harry wondered if his size was a magical thing, like June's ability to track magic. He'd have to remember to ask him later.

After awhile they came to an old stone building surrounded by others of similar architecture. The building had a few small windows and a simple wooden door. A sign hanging over the door depicted a large cauldron filled with a bubbling concoction. The name "The Leaky Cauldron Pub" was written across it.

Hagrid entered the pub without a word as June signaled him to follow. The inside was much what Harry had imagined a pub would look like, simple wooden tables and chairs strewn about, with a bar sitting along one wall. The bar was filled with a handful of people, all dressed in robes of different colors, except for the barman, who wore simple work clothes.

"Ah Hagrid," the bartender greeted warmly, "Stopping in for a drink?"

"Not today, got me some official business," Hagrid said waving him. It was at this point that the bartender became aware of Harry's presence.

"Merlin's Beard," he whispered in amazement, "Is that really him?"

Hagrid looked over his shoulder as Harry before turning back to the bartender and nodding in confirmation, "Aye, tha's 'im"

Before Harry knew it, the bartender was standing in front of him, shaking his hand vigorously.

"It's an honor to meet you Mr. Potter, it really is," he said with an excited look on his face.

"Um, yeah, good to meet you too," Harry replied, obviously confused.

"Potter?" a person asked from the other side of the pub, "As in Harry Potter?"

At that, the pub suddenly exploded with activity as the patrons surrounded Harry. Everyone seemed to want to talk to him and shake his hand. The whole thing was overwhelming, and Harry appeared he would pass out if Hagrid had not stepped in.

"All righ'! All righ' tha's enough. Let the poor boy breathe!" he said, forcibly pushing people out of the way and pulling Harry to his side.

"Hagrid, what's going on?" Harry asked, bewilderedly as Hagrid tugged him along toward the back of the pub.

"We'll explain later," June responded as she led them.

As they approached the door, another man walked up to them. He appeared to be middle aged, with a pale complexion, skinny build and a stooped posture. He wore a long purple robe with a matching turban wrapped around his head. He rubbed his hands together nervously as he looked around anxiously with his dark brown eyes.

"Oh! Professor Quirrell! Wasn't expecting ta see you 'ere," Hagrid greeted warmly.

"Oh!" he yelped in surprise, visibly shaking, "H-H-Hello, H-H-Hagrid. I w-w-was j-j-just p-p-picking some things up f-f-for the new sch-ch-chool year,"

"Ah! Me an' June 'ere were doing somethin' similar fer 'Arry" Hagrid said as he clasped one of his big hands on Harry's shoulder, knocking him off balance.

"Oh! Sorry abou' tha', 'Arry," he apologized as he helped Harry right himself, "Well, I guess I should introduce ya. 'Arry, this is Professor Quirrell, 'e'll be one of yer teachers at Hogwarts."

"I-I-It's a p-p-pleasure to m-m-meet you, Harry," Quirrell said as he extended his hand, which Harry shook.

"You too, sir," Harry responded.

"W-W-Well, I-I should b-b-be on m-m-my way. G-G-Good d-d-day Hagrid, Mr. P-P-Potter," he said, before leaving the pub.

"We should be getting along as well," June said as she opened the door and headed out behind the pub. Behind the pub was a small open area, closed off by a stone wall. Stepping forward, Hagrid drew his pink umbrella from his jacket. Holding it up, he tapped some of the stones along the back wall in a certain order. When he was done, there was a soft grinding noise as the wall opened up, stone by stone.

Harry gaped in amazement as a completely hidden area of the city. All the buildings were tightly pack, like the city was built in older times. The architecture of the buildings appeared to be Victorian era as well, with large windows revealing store fronts. The tight, cobblestone street was packed with people, all dressed rather peculiarly, at least in Harry's eyes. Glancing up, he saw dozens of owls flying about, much like the ones who had tried to deliver letters to him when he was still with the Dursleys.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Harry" June said, smiling at Harry's look of amazement.

_That evening, in the Leaky Cauldron_

Harry sighed as he sat at one of the simple tables within the pub. After the past day, he was both mentally and physically exhausted. In his fingers he twiddled what to anyone else would look like a finely carved stick, but Harry now knew what it truly was. A wand. His wand. At first, Harry thought the old wandmaker, Ollivander, had been off his rocker when he told him that all wizards had a connection to their wands, the focus of their magic. But now he began to think that the strange old man had been on to something. The wand felt…natural in his hand. Like it had always been a part of him. And hopefully always would.

He smiled as he continued to fiddle with his wand as he went over the day in his head. After they had arrived, Hagrid and June had led him to the wizarding bank, Gringotts, to get him some money. It was there that Harry got his first look at magical creatures. It turns out that the people manning the bank weren't actually…well men. They were goblins. Harry did his best to not stare at the strange looking creatures, though their ugly, elongated features and short stature made it hard. He got a few glares but something told Harry that they were use to it and that they were actually just naturally grumpy. Harry figured he would be to if he was looked down upon his whole life, literally or not.

It was at that point Hagrid left their company, claiming he had an errand to run at the bank. So June accompanied Harry to get money, from what he learned was his family's vault. They were taken by one of the goblins to the vault in a mine cart, though Harry acquainted it more to one of the roller coasters he has seen on the tele. It was fast, it was exhilarating, and at one point he could have sworn he had seen a dragon. Once they arrived, June had produced a key to the large, iron vault door. It was then that Harry discovered something else. His family had been rich. Almost obscenely so. The vault contained piles of wizarding money, with stacks of gold, silver and copper coins taller than him. After taking a handful of each type, and placing it in a small sack, June led Harry back to the surface to do his school shopping.

And they did a lot of shopping. Harry felt for certain that he had never owned as many possessions before now, something that seemed to bother June when he had told her. Along with his wand, he now owned a truck full of clothes, both 'Muggle' or plain clothes, and wizard's robes. In addition, he also had a stack of school books, which Harry was interested in looking at, something he never thought he would be when involving school books. Finally, sitting next to him was his favorite new possession. Perched in a brass bird cage was a snowy white owl named Hedwig. Hagrid had gotten it for him for his birthday, his first birthday present, though he didn't speak his thoughts as he had learned that it would only make June upset. Apparently, owls were used like carrier pigeons to distribute mail, though magic apparently made them a lot more reliable.

All in all, Harry had an exciting and amazing day, but there was still one thing bothering him.

"Hagrid?" Harry said, looking at his wand. Hagrid looked up from the piece of birthday cake he had been eating.

"Aye?"

"Why is everyone so excited to see me, like when we first came to the pub?" he asked looking up at Hagrid.

"Um…" Hagrid said, freezing up.

"Relax, Hagrid," June jumped in, putting her hand on his shoulder to calm him, "I'll handle this,"

"Alrigh'" he replied, leaning back.

June took a deep breath, before turning back to Harry, "The best explanation for it, is that most of Wizarding Britain sees you as a hero,"

"A hero?" Harry asked confusedly, an emotion he was becoming quite familiar with, "I didn't even know about magic till yesterday,"

"Well you see, it has to do with how your parents died," she replied, cautiously.

"How my parents died?" he said, suddenly becoming quite.

"Yes. Now in order for you to understand, I'll have to explain some things to you," she explained, before taking a deep breath and continuing, "Britain wasn't always a good a place as you see today. Only little over a decade ago, it was a very dark place, at least in the Wizarding world."

"Why's that?" Harry asked, hesitantly.

"Back then a very dark and powerful wizard was fighting with the government. He had a lot of followers, called Death Eaters, with whom he terrorized the country. A lot of people died Harry, and those who survived still bare the scars of that time, physical or not. People are still afraid to say his name, usually referring to him as 'You-Know-Who' and 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'."

"What…What was his name?" Harry inquired.

June leaned across the table towards Harry, "Voldemort," she whispered.

"Voldemort?" Harry asked in a slightly louder voice. His eyes widened when he saw Hagrid visibly jump at the sound of the name.

"Yes," she replied, urging him to keep his voice down, "he held the country in a grip of fear…until one Halloween night, eleven years ago."

"What happened then?" Harry asked, though he felt like he didn't really want to know the answer.

"He came to your parent's house, in a village called Godric's Hollow. Your mother and father were very skilled wizards and enemies of his. It's not really known how he found them, as the house was magically hidden. But all that matters is he did. Your parents fought him of course, but he was too strong, and he killed them. Then he tried to kill you, alone in your crib. Then something strange happened. His spell reflected back at him, destroying him."

"It did? How?" Harry asked, very confused.

"No ones sure, seeing as no one was there at the time. Some of the greatest magic users on the planet have hypothesized as to what happened, but the fact remains that no one was there to witness it. All we know for sure is that you were the last one alive in the house. After that, Professor Dumbledore had you brought to live with your relatives, and the rest is history."

"Wow," Harry said quietly.

June nodded in response, "That's why people see you as a hero. You defeated Voldemort. You're the Boy Who Lived."

June sighed and put a hand on Harry's shoulder as a forlorn look crossed his face, "I know this is a lot to take in at once, but it will be alright. You should probably get some rest; you've had a long day. I was able to talk to Albus about the situation with your relatives and we decided that you will stay here until school starts, alright?"

Harry nodded, brightening slightly.

"Good, now let's bring your things up to the room I got for you. It's paid up until the time you have to leave for school. Consider it my birthday present," she said with a smile, as she stood up.

That night, as he lay in the four poster bed of the rented, private room, Harry tossed and turned in his sleep, his dreams filled with screams, green light, and hissing, laughing voices.

A/N: Sorry about the wait folks. As you can see the chapter isn't that long, as I plan on writing shorter chapters from now on. The real problem was that my computer got a virus, and the only way I could get rid of it was wiping my computers memory, thus deleting the half-finished chapter I already had. Combined with working retail during Christmas time made this chapter slow going. I've been able to work out a good pace for writing recently, so hopefully the next chapters will come along faster.

As another note, the way I'm going about writing this is that anything that I don't mention changing, can be assumed to have happened as it did in canon. Also, I'm unsure if I did Hagrid's accent completely right. I really just went by what it sounded like in my head. Feel free to point out if it's different from canon or if I didn't keep it consistent. Also I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I felt that the Marvelous World of DC was kind of a dumb title on my part, but I'm kind of stuck with it now. If you guys have a better suggestion, I'm all ears. I hope you enjoy the things to come! Later True Believers!


	2. Train Rides and Grand Halls

**Chapter 2: Train Rides and Grand Halls**

_August 31__st__ 2012, King Cross station, London England_

Harry worked hard to keep up with Hagrid's long gait, as he pushed the heavy cart laden with his things. They moved hurriedly through the crowd at King's Cross Station, Hagrid leading him to the platform where the train that would take him to Hogwarts, the aptly named Hogwarts Express, waited. Harry looked around at the large, brick and concrete building, with its vaulted ceiling, its multitude of tracks and platforms, and the throngs of people moving every which way, going about their business.

"Alrigh' 'Arry," Hagrid said looking over his shoulder, "Th' Hogwarts Express leaves in 'alf an 'our. All you 'ave to do is get ta Platform 9 ¾, an' give yer things ta one o' th' baggage men. They'll put yer luggage in the luggage cart for ye. Now, I 'ave ta get goin' or I'll miss me own ride. See ya at school!"

"Hagrid wait!" Harry called as he peered around the mountain of luggage, but Hagrid was suddenly…gone. Harry looked around wildly, trying to figure out how he had managed to loose sight of a 10 foot tall man, before sighing and resumed pushing his cart, directing it towards Platforms 9 and 10.

Minutes later, Harry was standing in the crowd of people, staring bewilderedly at the area between Platforms 9 and 10. He glanced at a nearby clock, and felt a surge of panic when he saw he only had 10 minutes left before the train departed. He couldn't ask any of the people around him, they would all think he's crazy. He would miss the train, and they probably wouldn't let him attend school, and then he'd have to go back to the Dursleys and then…!

"Come along everyone!" Harry heard a motherly voice cry out over the surrounding noise, "This way to the platform! If you don't hurry, you'll miss the train, and then how will you get to Hogwarts!?"

Harry turned to see a literal pack of red heads moving through the crowd. He counted five children of various ages being lead by a middle aged woman. The woman was a short, and pudgy with a warm, round face. She wore a light brown dress and a green sweater, with brown work boots on her feet and a green knit hat on her head. She had curly, shoulder length hair and kind, green eyes.

Standing besides her was a girl, slightly younger than Harry. She wore a white top and a green skirt, under a blue jacket. She looked positively miserable, trying to wipe away tears from her green eyes as her long, red hair curtained around her face. On the other side of the older woman was a boy Harry's age. He wore a multicolored sweater and brown slacks, with brown shoes. He had a kept mop of red hair and blue eyes and freckles dotting his face. In front of them were two, identical looking older boys, with short red hair and blue eyes. They each wore identical red sweaters, brown slacks and brown shoes, and had matching, mischievous smiles. Leading the way was the eldest looking of the children, with short, kept red hair, and green eyes. He wore a white shirt under a green sweater vest and a pair of pressed brown pants with polished brown shoes. Each of the four boys pushed a cart laden with luggage ahead of them.

"Alright Percy, you go first," the woman said gesturing towards the oldest looking boy. The boy nodded, before pushing his cart towards a wall between Platforms 9 and 10. As he approached, he picked up speed, before running straight into the wall…and promptly passing straight through it. Harry stared in astonishment at the section of wall that had just swallowed the boy. Glancing around, he noticed that all the Muggles walking around remained completely unaware of what had happened right under their noses.

"Alright George, you're next," the mother said, catching Harry's attention again as one of the twins step forward.

"Honestly mother," the boy said in an exasperated tone, "You'd think that you of all people could tell us apart,"

"Oh, I'm sorry Fred," she said as the boy lined up to charge at the section of wall.

"I'm just kidding, Mum," he said with a cheeky grin, "I really am George."

Then with a laugh he ran through the section of the wall as his twin quickly followed, laughing as there mother fumed behind them.

Seeing his opportunity, Harry approached the woman.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Harry said, catching the woman's attention, who looked at him curiously, "Um…how do you do that?" he asked, indicating towards the section of wall the three other boys had gone through.

"Oh! Is this your first time through dear?" she asked kindly.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied with a nod.

"Oh, alright dear. It's Ron's first time through as well," she said, indicating towards the boy, who smiled at him.

"Now all you have to do is walk through that section of wall over there," she said, indicating to the proper section, "It's best if you do it at a bit of a run,"

Harry nodded before lining himself up with the wall section. Taking a deep breath, he rushed towards the wall, scrunching his eyes closed and lowering his head. Just as he felt he was about to crash into the wall, he heard a strange wooshing sound and felt the air move about him. Opening his eyes, he found himself on a completely separate platform. Ahead of him was the track, where a steam locomotive sat, with numerous carriages attached to it, all colored red, yellow and green. A large number of people milled around on the platform, some dressed in Muggle clothing, and others dressed in wizard robes. Glancing up, he saw a sign that read "Platform 9 3/4."

Catching sight of the luggage cart, Harry pushed his cart over to them. As he walked, he turned to look back at where he came from, in time to see the woman and her last two children come through the fake wall. She smiled at him and waved, which Harry returned with a shy smile. Walking up to the luggage cart, he gave the worker his things, and boarded the train.

The entire train was packed with students, mostly older than him. For his part, Harry merely kept his head down and trudged forward, trying his best to remain unnoticed. Glancing from side to side, he looked desperately for an empty compartment, but all the ones he found were packed. It wasn't until he got to the very last car that he found an empty compartment, and took a seat by the window.

Just as Harry sat down, he heard the door open. Turning he saw the youngest son of the woman who had helped him earlier.

"Oh hey!" he said with a smile, "you don't mind if I come in here do you?"

"No not at all," Harry said, returning his smile.

"Thanks," he said, taking the seat across from him.

There was a loud whistle and the train lurched forward.

"Looks like we're leaving," the boy said, before he sat up in his seat and waved out the window. Looking out he saw the woman and her daughter waving, both looking like they were on the verge of tears.

"Your sister seems to be taking this pretty hard," Harry commented.

"Oh yeah, she's miserable. She's the youngest of my siblings, so it'll just be her and my parents this year. She's taking it kind of hard," he explained, before sitting back down, "I'm Ron by the way. Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter," he replied in turn.

"Wait, really?" Ron asked, shocked written across his face.

"Yeah," Harry replied, suddenly feeling very shy.

"Wow," Ron said, leaning back, before leaning forward again, "Do you really have…you know, the scar?"

Harry smiled, before lifting his hair up, revealing the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.

"Wow," Ron repeated, leaning back again, "So it true about all the stuff they said happened between and…You-Know-Who?"

"I guess," Harry shrugged, "I don't exactly remember,"

"Yeah, I suppose you wouldn't," Ron said, scratching the back of his head.

"Excuse me," a quite voice came from the door. Turning to it, the two boys found a girl their own age standing in the doorway. She had large, dark brown eyes and long, black hair with a distinctive white streak running through it near the front. She was dressed in a white t-shirt, a dark blue jacket, and a black, pleated skirt. She wore knee high, black and orange striped socks and black boots. She rung her hands together nervously as she looked at them. "Is this cart taken?"

"No, come in," Harry encouraged her, beckoning her in with his hand, "I'm Harry Potter, and this is Ron Weasley," Harry indicated to Ron, who waved and smiled friendly.

"Harry Potter? Wow. I'm Misty Kilgore," she said, taking a seat on Ron's side, staring at Harry with surprise.

As Misty took her seat, Ron began to fidget and reached into his pocket. Pulling his hand out, he produced a mangy looking rat, with missing patches of fur and it looked like it was missing a finger on one of its forepaws. It squirmed around and squeezed out of Ron's hands and bolted for the open door.

"Scabbers!" Ron called as he jumped after the rat, as Misty jumped out of the way with a squeal of surprise.

"Whoa!" a new voice cried as a hand shot out and grabbed the rat, making sure it couldn't get away. Walking into the compartment was another boy their own age. He was dressed in a green shirt and blue jeans. He had short, spiky black hair and brown eyes framed by glasses. In all honesty, Harry thought he looked a bit like himself.

"This belong to someone?" he asked, holding Scabbers up.

"Yeah, he's mine. Thanks mate," Ron said, taking Scabbers back.

"Name's Ron Weasley," Ron said, offering his hand.

"Tim Hunter," the other boy said, shaking Ron's hand.

"Good to meet you, Tim. This is Misty Kilgore," Ron said, indicating towards Misty, who nodded in response, and then pointed at Harry, "And that is Harry Potter."

The reverence that Ron said his name with caught Harry's attention, as well as Tim's.

"You say that like I should know him," Tim commented.

"You don't?" Ron asked, surprised.

"No. I'm Muggle-born. I guess I'm not caught up on my magical history," Tim explained, as he took a seat next Harry.

"Don't worry about it then," Harry said dismissively, "You'll learn the story soon enough,"

"Apparently whatever fame you have, it didn't go to your head," Tim commented.

"It's pretty easy, seeing as I was raised by Muggles too. I didn't hear about the story till about a month ago,"

"Wait, you were raised by Muggles?" Ron said amazed, "Blimey, no wonder you couldn't figure out how to get through the gate. What was living with Muggles like? My dad is crazy about them, but I still don't know much,"

Harry suddenly became very nervous, as he didn't want to talk about what his life had been like with the Dursleys. Thankfully, someone else decided to make their presence felt.

"Any treats from the trolley dears?" a plump, middle age woman asked, dressed in a uniform and pushing a trolley laden with goodies.

"Any one want any snacks?" Harry asked, jumping at the chance to change the subject.

"No thanks," Ron said, dejectedly, holding up a crushed paper bag, "I brought my own."

Harry noticed Ron's dejected look, along with Tim and Misty's apparent disinterest, before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a large bag of coins.

"We'll take the whole cart!" he said, holding up the bag.

_Later,_

After a few minutes of devouring treats, the compartment was littered with used wrappers, while the kids happily ate more of the delicious treats. A window had been opened to let some of the coo,l fall air in. Harry studied one of the packages for a treat he had bought.

"What's this?" he asked.

He held up one of the candies. It was a large piece of chocolate, shaped and detailed to look like a frog. It sat on a small, hexagonal shaped piece of cardboard, and the fitting name of "Chocolate Frog" was written across its package.

"It's a Chocolate Frog," Misty stated as Harry opened the candy, "They're enchanted to act like they're alive, for a little while at least,"

As soon as Harry had unwrapped the candy, it suddenly sprung to life, looking around wildly before leaping from Harry's hand towards the open window.

"Careful!" Ron called, reaching out for it. As he got close, the candy frog leaped out the open window and disappeared in a blur of motion, "it's getting away…"

"Oh well," Harry said with a shrug as he looked at the small piece of cardboard. On one side was a picture of an elderly man, with a long white beard. He was dressed in a purple robe and hat and had a pair of crescent shaped glasses. As he turned the card, the picture shift, giving the picture a 3-D look. On the other side there was a short paragraph.

"**Albus Dumbledore**. Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling," Harry read.

"Oh you got, Dumbledore?" Ron asked, as he ate another treat, "I got three of him"

Harry nodded before flipping the card over again to look at the picture, only to find it blank.

"Hey! Where'd he go?" Harry asked as he looked intently at the card.

"You don't expect him to stay there all day, do you?" Ron asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"So Ron," Tim said, catching the red head's attention, "You grew up in a wizarding family, right?"

"Yep," Ron responded.

"So you must have picked up some magic while growing up, right?" Tim asked.

"Well," Ron began, "There is this one spell my brothers told me about. I'm not sure it's real though,"

"I'm sure it's worth a shot," Misty said, encouragingly.

"Alright, let's give it a try," Ron said, pulling out an old looking wand and grabbing Scabbers, who was eating scraps out of a candy box.

"Excuse me," a female voice asked from the compartment door. Turning, they found a girl their own age standing in the door. She had brown eyes and busy, brown hair, and was dressed in a school uniform. "A boy named Neville lost his toad, have you seen it?"

Glancing at Ron, she noticed he had his wand out and promptly forgot what she had been doing.

"Oh, are you doing magic?" she asked with a slight tone of excitement, "Let's see it then,"

Ron nodded before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he began to swish his wand through the air above Scabbers.

"Sunshine daisies, Butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!" he spoke before tapping the rat with his wand. Scabbers shuddered violently and let out a loud squeak, but nothing else happened.

"Are you sure that's _real _magic?" the girl asked a condescending tone, "Because if it is, it isn't very good,"

Her eyes then drifted over the compartment, ignoring Ron's dirty look, before they came to a stop on Harry. Specifically, his forehead.

"Oh my gosh!" she said excitedly, "You're Harry Potter! I've read all about you!"

"Um, thanks?" Harry responded awkwardly.

She then looked at him oddly, as if studying him. "Your glasses are broken," she said suddenly, before producing her wand, "Let me fix that. _Repairo!_"

As soon as she had finished the spell, the tape on Harry's glasses suddenly unraveled. Feeling them, he found that they were as good as new.

"I'm Hermione Granger," she said confidently, before turning an eye to Ron, "And _you _are?"

"Ron Weasley," he said with a hint of venom, "They're Misty Kilgore and Tim Hunter if you're curious,"

"_Charmed_," she said with a nod of her head while sparing Ron a cross look, "You should probably change into your uniforms, we'll be arriving soon."

With that she turned on her heel and walked out. The others looked at each other and shrugged before preparing to get changed.

_Later_

As the sun began to set over the horizon, the train pulled into a small station surrounded by forest. A path led to it through the forest, disappearing among the trees. All the children quickly piled off the train and began heading in different directions, preparing to head to the school.

Harry, now dressed in his school uniform, stepped off the train and began looking around. After a moment he stopped and looked at Ron with a confused expression.

"Where do we pick up our baggage?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it, they bring them to our rooms," Ron explained as they walked forward.

"Firs' years! This way!" a booming voice Harry recognized as Hagrid's said. Looking up, he saw the giant man lumbering forward, his hands above his head, beckoning people to him.

"Hey Hagrid!" Harry said happily as he ran up.

"Whoa!" Tim whispered, "You know this guy?"

"Yeah he gave me my letter," Harry explained.

"Wow, all I got was an owl," Tim commented.

"'Ello 'Arry!" Hagrid greeted happily, "Good ta see ya made it. Look like ya made some friends too. Now if ya would all just follow me, we'll make our way ta 'Ogwarts."

Hagrid turned and lead the gathered students off the platform and into the woods surrounding the station. Darkness fell as they made their way through the forest, eventually coming to a dock on the shore of a wide river. A number of long boats sat in the water by the docks.

"All righ', everyone get in, three to a boat!" Hagrid ordered as he climbed into a boat himself, which visibly swayed under his weight.

Pushing through the crowd of students to get to one of the boats, Harry ended up in a boat with Ron and another boy. He was a plump boy with shaggy brown hair and brown eyes. He had a pale complexion and appeared nervous.

"Hey," Harry greeted the boy, who jumped in surprise.

"Oh! Um…hello," he replied nervously.

"I'm Harry Potter and this is Ron Weasley," Harry introduced them as Ron waved in greeting.

"I'm Neville Longbottom," the boy stated, giving a weak wave, looking at Harry, "Are you really Harry Potter?"

"That's what they keep telling me," Harry replied, awkwardly.

Just then, the boats lurched forward as they pulled away from the dock. They glided silently through the water, moving under their own power. The forest grew all around the river, sheltering it, except for an opening ahead of them.

Harry gasped as the boat made its way through the opening. The opening led to a large lake, surrounded by mountains. Up upon one of the smaller mountains, overlooking the lake was an ancient, medieval castle, larger than any castle Harry had seen in books or on the tele. Down below castle, Harry could make out a small village.

"Wow," Harry said in astonishment.

"Yeah, that's awesome," Ron agreed, "I even hear they have a giant squid in the lake,"

"What!?" Neville shouted in surprise a he had just been leaning over the edge to look at the lake. He jumped quickly enough to nearly rock them out of the boat.

"Whoa, relax Neville!" Harry shouted, trying to balance the boat.

A few minutes later, the boat pulled in to a dock within a cove beneath the castle. Hagrid helped them up and then ushered them up a flight of stone steps. Eventually, they came to a door which led into the castle itself. Hagrid lead them through the winding, stone hallways and up a flight of stairs before coming to a large wooden door.

In front of the door stood an elderly woman. She had green, cat-like eyes, and salt and pepper hair done up in a tight bun. She wore a pair of thin, wire glasses, a dark green rode and a dark green witch's hat.

"Thank you, Hagrid," the woman greeted the large man, "I'll take it from here,"

"Righ'" Hagrid said before turning and lumbering off, giving a wave to Harry as he left.

"Alright students, I am Professor McGonagall, Professor of Transfiguration and Deputy Headmistress. In a moment these doors will open and you join your fellow classmates after being sorted into one of the four Houses," she instructed, before turning and walking through the doors.

"Houses?" Harry whispered to Ron.

"Hogwarts has four different houses you can belong to," Ron explained, "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. My brothers have all been in Gryffindor and I'm betting I will be as well. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw arn'tf that bad either from what I've heard. You don't definitely don't want to be a Slytherin."

"Why's that?" Tim asked.

"Every dark wizard in history came out of Slytherin. Even You-Know-Who," Ron whispered.

A thoughtful look crossed Harry's face as he thought about what Ron had just said. Slytherin was full of evil wizards? Even the one who had killed his parents was Slytherin? He didn't know much about the other Houses but he knew for sure he didn't want to end up in that one.

Harry was knocked out of his thoughts when someone cleared their throat. Looking up, Harry saw three of the other students standing in front of him. One was smaller the others, with slicked back, platinum blond hair and blue eyes. He had a pale complexion and a sharp, pointed nose. The two other boys were large for their age, both tall and wide. They had short brown hair and beady brown eyes. They stood flanking the smaller boy with their arms crossed.

"Harry Potter, right?" the smaller asked, "I heard you were on the train."

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he said with a large sense of pride, before introducing the two other boys, "This is Crabbe, and this is Goyle,"

"Um, hi?" Harry responded.

"My father tells me that you were raised by Muggles. I can't even imagine what that was like. But because of that you don't understand how things work," he extended his hand, a sleazy grin on his face, "Allow me teach you. That way you can avoid," he paused and glanced at Ron and the others, "undesirables,"

Harry eyes narrowed at the none to subtle insult, "I think I know who my friends are, Malfoy, and who the "undesirables" are," he said, moving back and putting a hand on Ron's shoulder, "So thanks, but no thanks,"

"You just made a big mistake, Potter," Malfoy said, visibly seething.

"We'll see," Harry responded with narrowed eyes.

Just then, the doors opened behind them and Professor McGonagall walked out and formed them into two lines before ushering them through the door. The next room was a giant eating hall, dozens of feet long. Four long tables ran the length of the room, with the rest of the student body sitting at the various tables. On the opposite side of the room was another long table slightly raised above the ground, which ran perpendicular to the others, at which a number of men and woman sat, people Harry assumed were the professors. The room was illuminated by dozens of candles that floated in midair. Glancing up, Harry was amazed to see the night sky, instead of a roof.

"It's not really the sky," Harry heard Hermione say behind him, "The ceiling's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in _Hogwarts: a History_"

Eventually they reached the far end of the room. Professor McGonagall stepped up onto the raised portion of the room and directed the first years to fan out in front of her. It was at this point that Harry noticed a crumpled, old, wizard's hat sitting on a stool before them.

"Now," McGonagall said, catching their attention, "before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words."

At that, the man Harry recognized as Albus Dumbledore stood up from his position at the center of the table to address the students.

"I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce," he began in a stately voice, "The first years, please note, that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you, that the third floor corridor, on the right hand side, is out of bounds to all who do not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you."

Dumbledore indicated to a man standing at the side of the room. He appeared middle aged, with stringy, brown hair and hard, brown eyes. He wore a dirty brown coat over a tan work shirt and brown work pants along with dark brown work boots. A brown and black striped cat sat at his feet. Harry barely noticed him however, as he puzzled over the headmaster's strangely dire threat.

"Now, we shall begin the sorting!" Professor McGonagall proclaimed. As she did, the hat on the stool suddenly stirred to life. The top tilted forward, causing the felt of the hat to scrunch together, forming the clear outline of a face. The stitching along its brim separated, clearly forming a mouth. Then it did the last thing Harry expected it to. It began to sing.

"_Oh you may not think me pretty, but don't judge on what you see. I'll eat myself if you can find, a smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, your top hats sleek and tall, for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden in your head the Sorting Hat can't see, so try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be."_

"_You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart. Their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart. You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil. Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind. Where those of wit and learning, will always find their kind. Or perhaps in Slytherin you'll make your real friends. Those cunning folks use any means to achieve their ends."_

"_So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) for I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

As soon as the song was finished, the hat gave a slight bow, as the faculty and the student body clapped politely. Harry looked at Ron, who shrugged.

"My brothers say it sings a different song every year. It's got to be a pretty boring life, hasn't it, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year making up the next one" the red head whispered.

McGonagall cleared her voice to draw attention back to herself. She then produced a scroll, which she unrolled before turning back to the students.

"Now, when I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your Houses," she explained.

"Abbot, Hannah!" McGonagall called. A young girl, her blond hair done up in pig tails, stepped up. McGonagall lifted the Sorting Hat and motioned the girl to sit. Doing so, the professor placed it upon her head. A thoughtful expression crossed its face and it mumbled to itself, before looking up.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" it declared, causing the students at one of the tables to erupt into cheers.

"Bones, Susan!" she declared again, and after another girl, this one with long brown hair, was sorted into Hufflepuff as well, the sorting continued in much the same way, with each student being placed into a House at the whim of the hat.

"Granger, Hermione!" McGonagall declared and he saw the girl he had met on the train nervously step up to the stool. The hat was placed upon her head and a thoughtful look crossed its face.

"Ah, right, then. Hmm, right. Okay. GRYFFINDOR!" it declared, as Hermione smiled before joining the group of applauding students.

"Hunter, Timothy!" was the next name that caught Harry's attention. Tim stepped up and the Hat was placed on his head. Harry could clearly see a smile cross the Hat's face.

"Well, well, well. Huh? I see. You'll see. GRYFFINDOR!!!" the Hat said. Tim walked towards the Gryffindor, glancing back at the Hat with a confused look on his face.

"Kilgore, Misty!" McGonagall called. Harry watched as the dark haired girl walked up to the stool and sit down, fidgeting nervously. Harry was surprised when a look of shock crossed the Hat's features.

"Oh my. No, no, it's alright. Unexpected is all. No, don't worry. Everything will be alright. We'll keep a good eye on you. GRYFFINDOR!!!" it called out. Misty literally bolted from the stool and quickly disappeared into the crowd of applauding students.

"What was that about?" Ron whispered to him.

"I don't know," Harry replied, looking over at the Gryffindor table, barely registering that Neville had been called and sorted into the same house.

"Malfoy, Draco!" McGonagall calling the new name quickly brought Harry back to the sorting. It took only a second for the Hat to declare the boy a Slytherin after being placed on his blonde head.

"Figures," Ron snorted.

"Potter, Harry!"

As soon as his name was called, the whole hall went silent and he could feel the weight of everyone's gaze upon him. The importance that his name carried became all the more apparent to him. He gulped before stepping forward.

"Good luck, Harry," Ron whispered, causing Harry to give him a nervous smile.

Stepping up, he sat upon the stool and McGonagall lowered the Hat upon his head. It was large and slipped down on his head, almost covering his eyes.

"Hmm," the hat began, "Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?"

Suddenly, the thoughts of what Ron had said about the various houses came flooding back to him. One thought in particular came to mind.

"Not Slytherin," he whispered, "Not Slytherin,"

"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great you know. It's all here, in your head. And Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness!"

"No, please," Harry insisted.

"No? We'll if you're sure. Better be…GRYFFINDOR!!"

There was thunderous applause from the Gryffindor table as Harry hopped off the stool as soon as the Hat was removed from his head. Rushing over to the table, he was met by a group of his now House mates. They all began to shake his hand and pat him on the back as he moved through the crowd. Eventually, he came to where Tim and Misty were now sitting and grabbed an open seat next to them.

"Hey" Harry greeted happily.

"Hey," Tim returned his greeting, "Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other,"

"Ha, yeah," Harry laughed, but noticed that Misty seemed to still be in a bit of a funk, "Hey Misty, are you alright?"

She snapped out of her daze, and turned to Harry, grinning at him, "Yeah, I'm fine. Glad we're in the same house Harry."

Something inside told Harry that Misty wasn't being truthful to him, but he decided to let it go. The whole train of thought was completely forgotten when he heard the Hat sort Ron into Gryffindor. Standing up to applaud, he saw Ron's brothers applauding him hardest of all.

"Hey guys!" Ron greeted them happily as he took a seat at the table, "Looks like we all got placed together,"

"Looks like it," Tim replied with a smile.

As they sat talking, the headmaster announced that the feast could begin. As soon as he did, platters of food appeared on each of the tables. Harry stared at the food in amazement before hungrily digging in, as did the others.

After eating for awhile, Harry began looking around, in order to take in his surroundings. He looked over at the faculty table, figuring he should familiarize himself with their faces. One person in particular caught his attention. Compared to most of the other teachers, he was relatively young. He had slick, black hair and dark brown eyes. He wore black colored robes and had a rather pronounced nose. He was currently having a conversation with Professor Quirrell, who had his back to Harry.

"Who's that?" Harry asked Ron. Ron turned and looked at the man in question.

"That must be Professor Snape. He's the Potions teacher, but my brothers tell me it's Defense Against the Dark Arts that he's after. They also tell me he's a greasy git."

Harry nodded in understanding, as he watched the Professor. Suddenly, Snape's gaze fell upon him, as Quirrell shifted his head. A blinding pain shot through the area of Harry's scar, causing him to slap his hand over it to try and ease the pain.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Misty asked.

"I'm fine," he replied, turning back to the table.

Soon, the food was dismissed and the students were told to follow their prefects to their Houses. Gryffindor's first years were led by Ron's brother, Percy, who Harry thought may have liked his job a bit too much.

"First years follow me!" he ordered as they made their way through the winding hallways and staircases of the castle. Eventually, they came to a room dominated by a single giant staircase. The walls of the room were covered with hundreds of portraits, which to Harry's amazement, where moving as if the people inside were alive.

"Keep a close eye on the stairs," Percy stated, "They have a habit of changing,"

As if to emphasis the statement, Harry heard a loud grinding noise above them. Looking up, he saw one of the staircases swing about, using one of its landings as an axel. Eventually it came to rest attached to a completely different landing than the one it had started at.

Eventually, they came to a corridor and stopped in front of a particularly large portrait. The painting depicted a rotund woman in a pink dress sitting in a garden.

"Password?" she asked as Percy approached.

"Pig snout," he replied.

"Correct," she said, before her frame swung open like a door, revealing a hole in the wall leading to another room.

The small tunnel-like hallway led to a large, open room. The room was circular in shape, with a number of chairs and sofas scattered about. A roaring fireplace sat in one part of the wall. Two staircases leading upwards were on the opposite side of the room. A number of older students were milling around, chatting with each other.

"Girls are on the right, boys are on the left," Percy explained, "You're each assigned into rooms of fours. You'll find your luggage in your rooms."

After that, he dismissed them and the first years dispersed, some heading to find their rooms, others to look around the common room.

"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention to him. Sitting a few feet away from the portly boy was a brown toad, perched on the back of a chair.

"There you are," Neville said, "I've been looking all over for you."

He reached out for the toad, but Trevor sensed the movement and hopped off the chair…right into the waiting hands of another student.

"Whoa there!" the student said. She was an older student, possibly sixteen. She had brown eyes and wavy reddish-brown hair that reached her shoulders.

"Why, hello," she said to Trevor, bring him up to her face in her cupped hand so that they were looking into each others' eyes.

"Oh, I'm s-so s-sorry," Neville blabbered, his face red with embarrassment.

"Oh, don't worry about it," the girl said with a kind smile, before holding out her hand, "Wanda Maximoff"

"Neville Longbottom," Neville replied, nervously shaking her hand.

"And you," she said, addressing the toad, "Must be Trevor,"

The toad croaked in response.

"Yeah," Neville said, "he keeps getting away from me,"

"I think I can fix that," she replied, before walking over to a table. Upon the table sat a medium sized terrarium, filled with dirt, twigs and leaves as well as a small, puddle-sized pond. In the pond sat a green frog, who stared blankly at the world around it.

"We'll keep him in here, that way, he can't run away again and can have some company," she explained, opening the top and lowering Trevor inside, placing him upon the packed dirt. The frog turned to face the toad, studying the new arrival.

"Trevor, meet Mortimer," she said, introducing the toad to the frog, "Mortimer, Trevor,"

The two amphibians stared at each other for a short while before croaking in unison. This was apparently enough to acknowledge each other, as the two both promptly turned and began studying the common room again.

"See," Wanda stated, gesturing towards the terrarium, "They're friends already,"

"Thanks," Neville said, still blushing.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Wanda replied, turning and walking towards the other side of the room.

As she did, she almost walked into two boys carrying what appeared to be a portrait wrapped in a tarp. Both boys were Wanda's age. One was taller and muscular with dull red hair tied in a pony-tail. The other was smaller and had short, black hair.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked as they walked by.

"Raven brought this portrait that the headmaster apparently wanted hung up. So she roped us into doing it," the shorter boy explained.

"Ha, how'd she get you to do that?" Wanda questioned as they neared the exit.

"You know us," the red head said as he hefted his end into the exit hole, "always willing to help."

Suddenly, the portrait became jammed in the hole as the two boys struggled to fit it through.

"Turn it, Damian!" the shorter boy shouted.

"What do you think I'm doing, Sebastian?" the other boy barked, as he yanked the portrait to the side and managed to squeeze it through.

Harry smiled at the antics of the two boys, before heading up the stairs to find his new room.

_Later_

Harry was restless. He sat up in his four poster bed, looking around the room that he shared with Ron, Tim and Neville. He figured he was just excited. Sure, he had spent the last month living in Diagon Ally, but now he was finely here. He was at Hogwarts. Tomorrow, he would begin learning magic.

But right now, he was too excited to sleep. Sighing, he rolled out of bed, dressed in a t-shirt and long pajama pants. Slipping out of the room, he walked down the stairs in his bare feet into the common room. He sat down in front of the fire, deciding that staring at the dieing flames might ease his mind.

"Oh!" a voice said behind him, "I wasn't expecting anyone else to be down here,"

Turning around, Harry saw a girl standing by the stairway leading to the girls' dormitories. She was older than him, looking roughly sixteen. She had black hair that reached down to her chin and purple eyes. She had very pale skin and wore a long white t-shirt along with a pair of pajama short shorts. Harry also noticed a small red jewel set into her forehead.

"I see you had the same idea as me," she said, hopping over the back of the couch, and sitting next to him, "I'm Raven Buttenholm," she introduced herself with a smile.

"Harry Potter," Harry replied.

"Oh my, _the _Harry Potter?" she asked with what was obviously faked astonishment.

"You don't sound too impressed to meet me," Harry commented with a chuckle.

"Let's just say I've been around," she replied with a smirk.

"You're accent, it's-"

"American? Yep, I'm a Yank," she answered with a smile.

"But what are you doing here? Doesn't America have a wizarding school?" Harry asked.

"Has a few, but I came here. It's a bit of a long story, but I'm glad to be here, all the same," she explained before turning to look at him, "You don't seem to know much about the wizarding world,"

"No, I was raised by Muggles," he said, his distaste for his relatives creeping into his voice. Raven caught the implication but decided to let it go.

"Well, luckily for you, I've been around magic my entire life and it would be an honor to aid the great Harry Potter in his noble mission of figuring out what the hell is going on," she said with faked humility, making Harry chuckle.

"Thanks," Harry replied, "That would be great,"

The two spoke long into the night, and the next morning Harry woke up to find himself back in his bed. He smiled as he rolled out from beneath the covers and got dressed, ready to see just what this new life had to offer.

A/N: Well I can say with certainty that this is one of the quickest written chapters I've done yet. Would have been out sooner too, if school didn't get in the way. But that's beside the point. This chapter was a real blast to write, as I got to introduce a majority of the important characters. A number of Harry's new friends are relatively minor characters, but I thought they would fit the feel of the story very well, that and I have plans for them. Hope you liked it as much as I did, and bonus points to those who can figure out who Wanda's pet is named after as well as who the new characters are. Until next time, Later True Believers!


	3. School Daze

**Chapter 3: School Daze**

Harry still had a bit of a spring in his step as he walked into the Grand Hall. Glancing up, he saw that the sky was a bright blue, promising a beautiful day. Looking at the Gryffindor table, he saw that it was laden with various breakfast dishes. Sitting at the table, he saw his friends, as well as Raven sitting with a number of older students he had seen the previous night. Raven was currently in a heated discussion with Ron's twin brothers.

"We swear, Raven" one of the twins said, holding his hands in front of him as if to protect himself.

"We had nothing to do with it!" the other finished.

"Really?" Raven asked, her arms crossed and looking thoroughly unconvinced, "Because when my shampoo somehow gets replaced with hair remover, I find my list of suspects to be strangely short. And that you two happen to occupy the top spot."

"Well, dear Raven," one said.

"You seem to be lacking one key thing," continued the other.

"Evidence," they said collectively, mischievous grin's on their faces.

"She could just read your minds," the black haired boy Harry had seen carrying the portrait last night suggested. He currently had his back to the twins, much more interested in the meal before him.

"Oh please, Sebastian," the red head boy sitting next to him said with a smirk, "Raven's too much of a goody-two-shoes to do something like that,"

Raven glared at the boy, who Harry thought was named Daimon, who grinned at her. Without taking her eyes off of him, she lifted her hand and snapped her fingers. Immediately afterwards, the food that Daimon had been eating exploded, completely covering his face in food.

Daimon spat some of the food out of his face, before wiping it out of his eyes. He glared at Raven, who was now smirking at him.

"That felt uncalled for," he deadpanned.

He then turned when he heard Sebastian chuckling next to him.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Looks like you got egg on your face,"

"…Shut up"

Harry chuckled as he sat down at the table with his friends.

"Morning Harry," Ron said to Harry's right as he sat down.

"Morning," he replied as he began to fill his plate.

Suddenly, a screeching sound could be heard throughout the Hall.

"Mail's here," Ron commented as he and the other's looked up.

Looking up, Harry saw a flock of owls flying through the windows into the Hall. The owls were of all different species and colors and each carried letters or packages. A brown owl swooped in and dropped a paper in front of Hermione, who was sitting across from Harry and to the left.

"Is that a Muggle paper?" Misty asked, glancing over from Hermione's left. Harry looked closer at it and saw it was the London Times.

"Yes," Hermione explained, "My parents saw that the Wizard paper doesn't talk about things in the Muggle world, so they set me up with a subscription for both."

"Both?" Misty asked.

As if on cue, another owl flew by and dropped a paper in front of Hermione.

"The Daily Prophet, care to read?" she asked with a smug expression.

"Sure," Misty said with a giggle, before looking at the paper.

"Wow, look at this!" she exclaimed, before putting the paper on the table and pointing at the front page. On the front was a picture of a group of goblins gathered around a broken into vault.

"GRINGOTTS ROBBED!!!" the title exclaimed.

"Someone broke into Gringotts!?" Hermione asked, incredulously, "but that's impossible!"

"Apparently not," Tim commented.

"Does it say what was taken?" Ron asked.

"Apparently nothing," Misty explained, looking over the paper, "It says that the vault had already been emptied."

"Huh, that's weird," Tim said.

"Yeah…" Harry said, "Say, when I was at Diagon Alley with Hagrid, he said he had to run an errand for Dumbledore at Gringotts."

"You think that might have been Dumbledore's vault?" Ron asked.

"Not sure, just a guess," Harry relented.

"I think we shouldn't worry about it. It's not like whoever did it is going to get away with it," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

Hermione began to read her paper again, but noticed that Neville had received a package of his own. Opening it, the pudgy boy produced a glass sphere, with a gold ring wrapped around it's a diameter.

"That's a Remembrall," she stated, leaning in to get a closer look, "the inside is suppose to turn red when you've forgot something."

Again, as if on cue, the inside of the glass ball suddenly turned a deep shade of red as Neville looked at it with a confused face.

"The problem is," he explained, "I don't remember what I've forgot."

Harry chuckled as he continued with his meal. Glancing over, he saw Raven receiving a letter. What caught his attention was that the letter was not delivered by an owl, but by the same type of sleek, black bird that was her namesake. The raven sat upon her shoulder, studying the letter it had delivered.

The raven hopped off her shoulder and began studying her plate, before looking at her and letting out a shrill caw.

"What?" she asked the bird, a questioning look on her face.

The crow looked at the plate then back at her before cawing again.

"Fine," she said with a resigned sigh, "You can have some of my food, Quoth."

The crow cawed happily as it approached the plate.

"But," she said with a grin, "You have to do something for me."

She then leaned down and whispered conspiratorly in its ear. The raven let out a cry of understanding before taking flight. It flew over the table, snatching a pitcher of juice as it went. Gliding back up, it tilted the pitcher and the contents spilled out…right onto Fred and George Weasley's heads.

Harry almost choked on his food as he laughed along with the rest of the table. Fred and George tried to dry themselves off as the looked at Raven with a mixture of shock and pride.

"We'll get you for that one, Bruttenholm!" Fred cried, pointing his finger at her with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Mark our words!" George added.

"We'll see" Raven said nonchalantly, stroking Quoth's feathers as he fed from her plate.

Harry and the others continued to laugh. That is, until he look at Hermione. She had set her paper down and was looking in Raven's direction with a cross look on her face, her arms folded.

"She shouldn't have done that," she said crisply.

"Are you kidding?" Ron asked, "That was brilliant! I've never seen someone pull something on them other than my older brother Bill!"

"Ronald! She could get the entire House in trouble by doing something like that," she argued.

Looking at the staff table, Harry saw that Professor McGonagall, their head of house, had a cross look on her face as well. She turned to the headmaster to say something, but the comment died when she saw that Dumbledore was chuckling as well.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, Hermione," Harry commented, as he indicated towards the Staff table. The only response he received was a loud "Hmph" from Hermione as she continued to stare daggers at Raven.

_Later,_

Harry and the others slowly made their way into the dungeon area of the castle for their Potions course. During the day, he had been introduced to a number of classes, from Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall (who he discovered, to his amazement, could turn into a cat) and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Quirrel, to Charms with the diminutive Professor Flitwich and Herbalogy with Professor Sprout in the castle's extensive green house. But Harry was dreading this class, since he knew it was being taught by Professor Snape. Since the strange event the previous night, Harry had been worried about encountering the Potion's teacher up close and personal. The dark and dismal setting of his class room or the fact they shared the class with the Slytherins wasn't helping his nerves either.

Opening the door to the classroom, Harry saw that it consisted of long tables facing the front of the class, where a large cauldron sat, next to the desk that Snape sat at. The walls were lined with shelves that held jars containing a wide assortment of plants, rocks, and some things Harry couldn't recognize at all. Snape looked up at their entry and made eye contact with Harry again, though this time Harry noticed that no pain came from his scar. Harry mentally shrugged, figuring that the first time must have been some sort of coincidence. He sat down at one of the desks next to Ron and Hermione before he pulled out a note book.

As soon as all the class was seated, Professor Snape rose swiftly to his feet, his robes billowing around him.

"There will be no silly wand waving, or foolish incantations in this class," he said, menacingly as a hush fell over the class room.

"As such," he continued, "I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making."

"However, for those select few, who posses the predisposition," Harry noticed that Snape's eyes drifted over to where Malfoy was sitting, stirring up a bit of annoyance in him. Raven had mentioned that Snape liked to play favorites. He shrugged to himself before turning back to his notes as Snape continued.

"I can teach you how to bewitch the mind, and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."

Unknown to Harry, Snape's eyes drifted over to him as he copied down what Snape was saying.

"Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confidante enough to _not pay attention!_"

Hermione quickly elbowed Harry before indicating towards Snape. Though he didn't feel any pain as Snape's eyes dug into him, Harry did feel a sense of dread surge through his chest.

"Mr. Potter," Snape said as he stepped forward, looking as if he was appraising Harry…or sizing him up for a meal, "our new celebrity."

"Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asvidel to an infusion of wormwood?" he asked in a seemingly nonchalant manner. Hermione's hand shot up immediately, but Harry had absolutely no idea.

"You don't know?" Snape asked, not sounding at all surprised, "Let's try again. Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

"I don't know, sir," Harry responded, while eyeing Hermione, who obviously did.

"And what is the difference between monk's hood and wolfsbane?" Snape continued.

"I don't know, sir," Harry repeated.

"Pity," Snape sneered, "clearly, fame isn't everything, is it, Mr. Potter?"

"Clearly," Harry snapped, anger replacing fear, "Hermione knows the answer. Seems a pity not to ask her."

"Silence," Snape ordered, quieting the laughter that had arisen from the comment. Then he brought his gaze back to Harry before walking from the front of the class to where Harry was sitting.

"Put your hand down, you silly girl," Snape said as he passed Hermione, who had seemingly been unknowingly keeping her hand raised. Snape then quickly grabbed an empty stool and set it up across from where Harry was sitting, leaning in close on his crossed arms.

"For your information, Potter, asvidel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draft of the Living Dead. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons. As for monk's hood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant which also goes by the name of acanate."

He and Harry stared at each other for a few more seconds, neither wanting to be the first to look away.

"Well," Snape said after a few moments, "why aren't you all copying this down?" he asked, sweeping his gaze across the rest of the class. As the rest of the class hurriedly jotted down what he had said, as Snape rose back to his feet and walked back to his desk, Harry glare at him all the way.

"And Gryffindors," Snape said, as he sat at his desk and took out a quill, "Note that 5 points will be taken from your House for your classmate's…cheek"

Harry silently fumed as he heard Malfoy chuckle at him. He had learned the basis of the House Cup and how important and competitive the competition was. No one would be happy with the points lost but he didn't care, even as he felt his Housemates' eyes on him.

Snape was worse than anyone had hinted at. He clearly played favorites, but that didn't explain the Professor singling him out. It felt more like a personal grudge. Growling, Harry went back to his notes, resigning himself to figuring out what Snape's problem with him was later.

_Later that week,_

Harry sat in the Grand Hall, eating his lunch along with Ron, Tim and Misty. He was currently looking over his notes from his potions class, but could only find the strength to fume silently. For the past few days, Professor Snape had continued his personal vendetta against Harry, failing all the potions he made and deducting points for every comment. It was so frustrating he felt like he wanted to scream.

"Harry," Misty's soft voice caught his attention. Looking up, he saw that she, along with the others, was staring at him.

"If you keep glaring at your notes like that, they might catch fire," she stated.

"What's the matter, Harry?" Tim asked.

"Wait, let me guess," Ron interjected, "Snape,"

Harry's growl confirmed his suspicions.

"What an awful man," Misty commented, crossing her arms and frowning, "He's so mean, especially to you. What did you ever do to him?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Harry grumbled.

"Maybe you should tell McGonagall or something. A teacher shouldn't be doing stuff like that," Tim suggested.

Harry just groaned in response, before resting his head against the table.

"You seem to be in a good mood, Scarface," a familiar voice said from his side.

Turning his head, Harry saw Raven sitting next to him, leaning against the table with her head leaning on her hand.

"Scarface?" Ron questioned.

"Who are you?" Tim inquired.

"What," Raven held her hand to her chest in mock offense, "You mean Harry hasn't told you about me?"

"No," Ron replied, the joke apparently flying over his head.

"I'm Raven Bruttenholm," she replied before holding up her hand to stop their own introductions, "Wait, let me guess,"

"You must be Misty," she said, pointing towards the young girl.

"And you must be Tim," she continued, indicating to the brunette boy.

"And of course, you must be Ron," she said, indicating to the red head, "I could spot a Weasley from a mile away."

"Wait, I remember you. You're the one who poured that juice on my brothers' heads!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yep, that's me," she said with a smile, before turning back to Harry, "So what's the matter."

"Snape," Harry replied.

"Ah, I warned you about him, didn't I?" she asked.

"Yeah, but it's like he's picking on Harry specifically," Misty explained.

"Really?" Raven asked, surprised.

"Yeah, asking me questions I couldn't possibly know and penalizing me for the littlest things."

"Hmm," a thoughtful look crossed Raven's face, "I'll have to look into that,"

"You think you can help?" Ron asked.

"I might be able to," Raven replied, "but for now, let me tell you what I came here to tell you,"

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Me and my friends were going to visit Hagrid, I thought you'd like to come with. You did say that he was a friend of yours."

"I'd love to!" Harry said, grinning, "Can my friends come too?"

"Sure, the more the merrier,"

"Cool," Tim replied as he and the others gathered their stuff and headed out.

Waiting at the door to the Great Hall was Raven's group of friends.

"Hey," the red head greeted, "These must be the firsties you were talking about"

"Yep," she said, introducing the group to them.

"Alright, good to meet you," the red head greeted them, "I'm Daimon Hellstrom."

"Wanda Maximoff," the other girl said, "Pleasure to meet you,"

"And I'm Sebastian Faust," the dark haired boy introduced himself.

"Faust?" Misty asked, with a slight quiver in her voice, while Harry noticed Ron pale a little.

"Yes," Sebastian responded, giving her a cold glare, "that's not a problem is it?"

"N-No, not at all," she replied quickly.

"Are you picking on little kids again, 'Bastion?" a voice asked. Descending from a nearby staircase was a girl of about 16. She had long, dark hair done up in a pony tail, and dark eyes, dressed in a uniform with Hufflepuff colors. She smiled as she joined them and walked right up to Sebastian.

"Um, no love, I was just-" Sebastian rambled as he itched his face nervously.

"What have I told you about getting all moody about your last name? Do you really think that little girl was going to pick on you?" she asked, standing right in front of him.

"Well, no but-" He was cut off as the girl quickly pressed her lips to his, the surprised look on his face contrasting with the smile on hers.

Wanda let out a contented sigh while Raven just smiled at them. Daimon pretended to stick his finger down his throat and made a wrenching noise, which earned him a laugh from the first-years and an elbow from Raven.

"There," the girl said, "all better?"

Sebastian nodded in reply, a smile on his face.

"Alright," Raven said, laughing lightly and walking over, "This is my cousin, Gemma Masters."

"Good to meet all of you," she greeted, friendly.

"Are we going soon?" Daimon asked, exasperatedly, "Because as much as I like to stand around and chat…"

Daimon trailed off as he turned around and began to walk away. Mostly because there was someone behind him. Before him was a girl his own age. She had flowing, red hair and piercing red eyes. She had alabaster skin and a slim build, with curves in all the right places. She wore a school uniform with Slytherin colors.

"Hello, brother," she said, her expression a mix between a smirk and a leer.

"What do you want, Satana?" Daimon demanded, his expression dropping into a glare.

"What?" she asked with a sultry smooth voice, "I can't check up on my little brother?"

"We're twins, Satana. We're the same age,"

"Seniority isn't just measured in age, dear brother," she said dismissively, walking past him. Daimon glared at her as she walked by, but turned around again when he felt the presence of another person.

Next to him was a girl his own age. She appeared to be on Indian descent, with a dark complexion and pink, cat-like eyes. She had bright, pink hair which she wore in pig tails and her ears were pierced multiple times, showing off a number of gold earrings. She also had a stud in her nose. She was also dressed in Slytherin colors.

"Hi Daimon," she said with sickening sweetness.

"Hello Nandita," Daimon practically growled.

"So this is the great Harry Potter," Satana commented, leaning over to get a better look at the younger boy, placing her hands on her knees. Harry fidgeted nervously as the older girl examined him.

"What do you want, Satana?" Raven demanded.

"Oh, I didn't see you there, Bruttenholm," she commented, glancing over her shoulder. Glancing next to her, she saw Sebastian averting his gaze.

"See something you like, Sebastian?" she asked suggestively, slowly shaking her rear end at him.

Sebastian blushed and looked completely away, while Gemma fumed. Nandita giggled at the scene while Daimon glared at his sister. Satana smirked as she turned back to Harry.

"It's too bad you weren't placed in Slytherin," she said, reaching out and playing with Harry's hair, causing the boy to blush bright red, "You're extremely adorable."

"Leave him alone, you sicko!" Wanda snapped, taking a step forward.

"Hehe, looks like the mutie still has a temper," Nandita said with an evil smirk as she stepped between Wanda and Satana.

"Who are you calling a sicko, you mudblood mutie?" Satana said calmly, straightening up and smoothing out her skirt, "Bruttenholm here made her move on little Harry here almost a week ago. I wonder what her reason was?"

"I should knock the teeth out of your pretty little head, you goddamn whore" she said, clutching her fists and stepping forward threateningly.

"Always so crude, Bruttenholm," Satana said with a smirk, "No wonder none of the boys have ever shown interest in you."

Raven almost shrieked in rage as she stomped towards Satana.

"Now, now, let's not fight," a voice said as someone stepped in front of Raven, grabbing her and holding her back. The voice belonged to a boy of Raven's age. He had short, black hair and brown eyes. He had a light, handsome complexion and an average physique. He wore a uniform with Slytherin colors.

"It wouldn't look good on any of us here if we all got into a fight. Besides, we all want to be good role models for the young ones," the boy said, gesturing to Harry and his friends.

"Zachary's right," Satana relented, turning to leave, "Nandita and I will leave you to play with your little friends."

"And Zachary," she said, turning back to look at the boy, "You should really stop associating with these lesser sorts. It's beneath you."

"See you later, Daimon," Nandita said with a smirk, walking away with Daimon's sister.

The boy snorted, before turning to the others.

"You all okay?" he asked.

"We're fine, Zack. I could have handled her," Raven commented, crossing her arms.

"I know that, Raven. But last I checked, fighting was frowned upon while we're at school," he explained.

"I guess," she relented, "Thanks."

"It was my pleasure," he said before walking up to her and cupping her chin, "She's wrong you know. There are boys who show interest in you."

He smirked as Raven blushed at his comment, before he turned and began to walk away.

"See you around, my little black bird," he said as he left.

"Was that…?" Misty started, staring in the direction Zack went.

"No, he's not," Raven said quickly, crossing her arms as she continued to blush.

"Though God knows, no one wants to be Raven's boyfriend more than Zachary Zatar," Daimon said with a grin.

"But isn't he Slytherin?" Ron asked, perplexed.

"Not every Slytherin is evil, Ron," Sebastian explained, "It's not the entry requirement, cunning is. As in doing what it takes to get ahead. They're all self-serving, but they're not all evil."

"So why did he help us?" Tim asked.

"To try and get on my good side, probably," Raven commented.

"That doesn't seem right," Misty said.

"Yeah, but that's what Bastion was getting at," Daimon explained, "He might be doing the right thing for the wrong reason, but he's still doing the right thing."

As they talked, the group exited the castle through the large wooden doors at its front. Outside, the land rolled gently downward from the peak the castle sat on. The group took a path that led them down to the thick woods surrounding most of the castle. Near the edge of the woods sat a stone hut with a thatch roof and a garden to its side.

"Hey Wanda, can I ask you something?" Ron asked as they walked.

"Sure Ron, what is it?" Wanda responded with a smile.

"Um…I was just wondering about some of the things that Satana lady said back there,"

"Oh," Wanda said, her smile dropping, "Like what?"

"Well I know what…mudblood, means" he explained, dropping his voice low as he said it, "But I don't know what the other thing she said was,"

"Mutie?" Wanda said with a neutral expression.

"Yeah, I've never heard it before. I take it it's a bad word though."

"It is," she said, sternly now, "Ron, have you ever heard of mutants?"

"I think so. From my dad. He works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department at the Ministry. Does that word have something to do with Muggles?" Ron asked.

"Not entirely," she said with a sigh, "I take it you don't know what genetics are?"

"Um…does it have to do with pants?" Ron guessed.

Wanda laughed, "No, it does with who you are. You see genes determine your traits. The color of your hair, how tall you are. Stuff like that."

"I think I get it," Ron said, scratching his head.

"Well, there's a special gene that some people have. It's called the X-Gene. It gives people special powers, different than magic. People with the gene are called mutants," she explained.

"Wow," Ron said, "I guess not everyone likes mutants, huh?"

"No, a lot of people see us as a threat to humanity as a whole. That we'll take over and enslave all non-mutants."

"Seems a little farfetched to me," Ron said, with a chuckle.

"Yeah, but all the reasons for hating Muggleborns are pretty ridiculous too," she commented.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "So you said this 'gene' thing gave you a power. What can you do?"

"I can cast these things I call "hex-bolts". They let me alter probability," she explained.

"Alter probability?"

"Make the unlikely, likely. Make the impossible, possible."

"Cool, can you show me?"

"Sure, watch this," she said, before holding her hand up, and pointing at Daimon's back. A reddish-pink orb of energy formed in her hand before she tossed it at him. The orb flew silently through the air and struck Daimon in the back, causing him to glow reddish-pink. Suddenly, his shoes untied themselves before they all tied themselves together between his feet. Daimon's arms pin wheeled as his feet were tripped up, before he fell flat on his face.

"Damn it, Wanda!" Daimon cried as he righted himself and untied his shoes, "Stop using me as your guinea pig!"

Ron and Wanda merely laughed.

"That was brilliant!" Ron cried, doubling over with laughter.

Misty giggled at the display as the others waited for Daimon to right himself.

"So Raven," she said, turning to the older girl, "Why don't you like that boy? I mean he's a Zatar, one of the most powerful families in Britain."

"It's complicated," she said, looking awkward, "I guess you can say, he likes me, but he doesn't like my friends."

"Oh," Misty said with a sense of realization.

"Especially Wanda and Gemma," she continued, "He's from a pureblood family, and well, you can guess how he sees Muggleborns."

"Yeah," Misty replied with down cast eyes.

"I'm willing to bet," Raven commented, "that you know I thing or two about being judged unfairly."

"W-W-What!?!" Misty yelped her eyes going wide, "What are you talking about!?"

"Let's just say I have a hunch," Raven replied with a smirk, before leaning over so her eyes were level with Misty's.

"Look, I know you have some secret that you're afraid to share. I know you don't want to tell anyone because you're scared no one will like you anymore. But here's something for you," she leaned in close, "I have a secret too."

"You do?" Misty said with excitement, before slapping her hands over her mouth when Raven shushed her.

"Yep and all my friends know it and they still like me. So whenever you feel like talking about it, you come and find me, okay?"

Misty nodded slowly, a mix of uncertainty and hope in her eyes.

"Now come on," Raven said, straightening up, "We don't want to keep our friends waiting."

Misty nodded and they both jogged to catch up with the others, as they had continued on towards Hagrid's hut. As they approached, Hagrid exited his hut, waving his hand in greeting. Next to him was a large, black hunting dog.

"'Ello everybody!" he called happily, walking down to meet them.

"Hey Hagrid," Daimon said, walking up and shaking the massive man's hand.

"Good ta see ya, Daimon," Hagrid said, almost shaking Daimon's hand off, "Good ta see all of ya. I swear, ya all get twice as big every year."

"I could say the same thing about you, Hagrid," Raven said happily, giving the large man a hug.

"Ha, I suppose so, but I still remember when ye all were this small," he laughed, motioning with his huge hand, "Makes me feel like an old man, it does."

"Well, 'ello there, 'Arry!" Hagrid greeted as he noticed the first years, "I see ya've been making friends."

He walked over to where the others were standing, towering above them.

"Good ta meet ya all. I'm Hagrid, though, I'm guessing ya already knew tha'" he said warmly.

"Yeah," Ron said with a smile, "I'm Ron Weasley,"

"Ah? Another one?" Hagrid replied with a smirk, before he turned to look at Misty, who was petting the dog, "and who migh' you be?"

"Misty Kilgore," she replied, before turning to the dog, "Does he have a name?"

"Fang," Hagrid answered, as the dog licked Misty's face, "Sure seems to like ya,"

Misty laughed as Tim stepped forward and offered his hand.

"And I'm Tim Hunter," he greeted.

"Bloody 'ell," Hagrid said as he squeezed Tim's hand, causing the boy to wince in pain, "If I didn' know better, I'd say you an' 'Arry were twins."

He let go and Tim shook his hand in pain.

"Oh, sorry 'bout tha'" Hagrid apologized, "Don't know me own strength,"

"So Hagrid," Sebastian said, catching the gamekeeper's attention, "Have you seen Charlie?"

"Aye, I told 'im a while ago tha' you were visiting," Hagrid explained, "Should be coming by any time now,"

"Who's Charlie?" Misty asked.

"He's-" Sebastian started, but was interrupted as sound of movement came from the edge of the forest.

"_Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities, forget about your worries and your strife,_" a deep voice sang from the forest. Moments later, a large grizzly bear wandered into the open. It trotted with a spring in its step, bobbing to some unheard music. Its eyes glinted with a strange intelligence.

"_I mean the bare necessities, that's why a bear can rest at ease, with just the bare necessities of life" _the bear sung, surprising Harry and his friends.

"He's a friend of mine," Sebastian finished as a smile crossed his face.

The bear smiled as it lumbered up to where Sebastian was standing. Misty let out a sound of fright before hiding behind Sebastian.

"How's it going, kiddo?" It asked with a deep voice.

"It's going well. How are you, Charlie?" Sebastian replied.

"Charlie?" Misty asked, "This is Charlie?"

"That's me. Charlie Wylde," the bear answered with a slight nod, "Who might you be, little lady?"

"I-I'm Misty Kilgore," she answered timidly.

"Relax, Misty," Gemma said as she walked up and began to scratch his furry head, "Charlie here is just a big, old teddy bear."

"Aww, come on, Gemma," Charlie groaned, "Let me keep some of my dignity."

Misty giggled, "So how did you learn to talk? I've never heard of a spell that makes animals talk before,"

Charlie shrugged (at least, as close as a bear could get to shrugging), but Harry noticed that Sebastian suddenly seemed to become uncomfortable and looked at the ground.

"It's a bit of a long story. I'll have to tell you another time," Charlie said, simply, "For now, you'll just have to settle for the fact that I'm smarter than the average bear."

Harry and Tim chuckled, while Ron and Misty looked at the bear with a confused expression.

"Well, come on in," Hagrid said, waving them toward his hut, "Let me ge' some tea and snacks for ya all."

_Later_

The group bid Hagrid farewell, having spent the last few hours enjoying tea and pretending to enjoy the cakes he had made.

"Come back any time," he said as they exited the hut.

"Hagrid, can I ask you something?" Harry questioned, hanging back as the others bid Charlie farewell.

"Wha's tha' 'Arry?"

"Did you hear about the vault at Gringotts being broken into?" Harry asked.

"Oh, ya mean Dumbledore's vault?" he asked, before a look of realization crossed his face, "I shouldn' a told ya tha'"

"So that was Dumbledore's vault!" Harry exclaimed.

"Now look 'Arry, this is official business. You don' need ta worry abou' wha' I took out of Dumbledore's vault," Hagrid pleaded

"So that is what you were doing the day we went shopping!" Harry exclaimed again.

"I shouldn' a told ya tha'" Hagrid cringed.

"Ya bes' be getting along now, 'Arry," he said, shooing the boy forward, "And don' go telling people wha' a told ya, and don' go thinking abou' it either."

"Alright Hagrid, goodbye," Harry said with a wave.

"Goodbye 'Arry," Hagrid replied, waving.

Harry quickly caught up with his friends, who were happily chatting with each other. Harry however was lost in thought. What had Hagrid taken from Gringotts that someone has wanted to steal? What was so important that Hagrid couldn't tell him about it? In the end, Harry mentally shrugged and decided to give the matter a rest. It's not like it really affected him, was it?

As they were walking back to Gryffindor tower, Harry happened to look up at the painting at the end of the hall leading to the entrance portal. It was a picture of a dark, desolate landscape, with dead trees in the background, and barren, lifeless ground under them. The central focus of the painting was that of a scarecrow, crucified on a post. It hung limply from its post, its head lolled to the side. It had a burlap sack for a head, with black stitches donating where eyes and a mouth would be. It wore a ratty, pointed hat, from which patches of straw poked out, like blond hair. It had a red jacket and brown gloves for hands. It wore brown, patched pants, and pointed brown, burlap shoes. Crows sat around the scarecrow, heedless of its presence. A stormy, black sky hung above the scarecrow, churning with a coming storm.

The picture sent a chill up Harry's back. He wasn't sure why, but the painting seemed to have a creepy, almost malevolent aura to it. It was hard to tell if the painting was truly magical but looking closely, Harry could see the crows moving about, along with the wind moving through the trees and clouds.

Harry shivered before turning from the picture. As soon as he did, he got a strange feeling. A feeling as if someone was watching him. He slowly turned around, looking over his shoulder. The scarecrow had moved, and it had moved close. Its face was pressed right up to the edge of the painting, like someone placing their face against a pane of glass. Its stitches spread to form a wicked smile. Harry felt his voice catch in his throat as his feet became rooted to the spot through fear.

Suddenly, the scarecrow leaned forward, its head coming out of the painting. Its face hovered inches from Harry's as it continued to smile at him.

"Boo," it whispered. This seemed to be the magical word to release Harry, as he immediately turned and took off, screaming as went. The only other sound was the scarecrow's hysterical laugher following him down the hall.

_Later,_

The Headmaster's office was rather extravagant, with a large fireplace and large bookcase stuffed to the breaking point. Portraits were hung around the office, each depicting a different headmaster. A number of strange objects were scattered about. Near the back sat a large, ornate desk, covered in papers. A bird perch sat nearby, on which an old, red bird sat. Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk, examining one of the many papers.

"Come in, Raven," he said without looking up from the paper.

The door to his office opened and Raven stepped in, looking slightly anxious.

"How are you, my dear?" he asked, looking up from his paper and smiling at her.

"I'm fine, sir" she replied.

"Now, I understand you wanted to talk to me about something?" he asked, putting the paper down.

"Yes sir. It's about Harry," she said, apparently gearing up to say something.

"Ah, how is he? I'm glad you seem to be getting along so well. That's why I asked you to watch over him. Now-"

"Cut the crap, sir" Raven said suddenly, cutting Dumbledore off.

"Excuse me?" he asked, his voice a mixture of stunned and peeved.

"I'm not stupid Professor," she stated, her eyes narrowing, "You and I both know that you didn't ask me to look out for him just because he needed a friend. And I know you didn't want me to look after just him."

Dumbledore's face seemed to change before Raven's eyes, loosing its grandfatherly look and becoming more hard and intelligent.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Misty Kilgore, she's hiding something, and I think you know what it is," she stated bluntly, "There's something going on with Tim Hunter too,"

"Quite astute of you Raven," Dumbledore observed.

"My uncle is a detective," Raven replied, "So give it to me straight, Professor. Why do you want me and my friends protecting Harry and the others?"

Dumbledore sighed and rose from his seat, folding his hands behind his back.

"I hope you believe me when I say that I don't fully understand Mr. Hunter's condition. The Sorting Hat has some inclining, but I don't have sufficient evidence to prove it. In the simplest of terms, your guess is as good as mine."

He turned around to look at one of the paintings on the wall.

"As for Ms. Kilgore, her matter is purely private. It is up to her if she wishes to inform you of it. I will respect her privacy by not telling you, but I won't stop her from telling you herself."

Raven nodded, satisfied with these answers, "And what about Harry?"

Dumbledore let out a sigh, "Harry is indeed a special case, and one that I don't believe you should trouble yourself with."

"Trigon," Raven stated bluntly.

"What?" Dumbledore asked, whirling around in surprise, "Why would you mention that monster who raped your mother?"

"Because he use to be a secret too. You, the teachers, my aunts and uncles, my grandfather, even my father all knew about him," she growled, fighting back tears as the furniture around the room began to shake, "You all hid who I was from me. And in the end, it wasn't any of you who told me. It was one of them. A demon. Something I despise with every fiber of my being. It almost ruined me."

"Raven," Dumbledore cautioned, observing the rattling objects, "You must calm down,"

"LISTEN TO ME!!!" she shouted, her eyes turning white and a black aura surrounding her hands. Dumbledore was thrown back by an unseen force and slammed hard into his desk.

"You have no idea what its like!!" she screamed, as she began to hover in the air, "To have to deal with the pressure!! To know everyone around you knew about it, _except you_!! Then to be harassed and mocked for your differences!!! The whispers!! _The stares_!! You act like you care, but you have no idea what it's like. You'll _never _know what it's like!!! You just do what you think is right, playing us all like pawns!!! _You have no idea_!! Just an old man in his ivory tower. That's all you are."

"Raven," he said weakly, grasping at his throat, "…stop…"

Raven suddenly snapped out of it, her eyes returning to her purple color as she lowered back to the ground. She rushed over to the Headmaster and gently helped him up.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she repeated quickly, tears streaming down her face.

"It's alright, Raven," he said, waving her off, "I'll be fine,"

"I'm sorry," Raven apologized, "I couldn't control it, I just-"

"Please, my dear," Dumbledore interrupted, "It is clear that you have some…resentment towards me. I only wish we could have discussed it more…civilly."

"Still," she said, "I've been practicing control for years, that shouldn't have happened."

"Perhaps, but we're all human," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "we all make mistake."

He then sighed before continuing, "And not everything you said was wrong."

He sat down in his chair, letting out another long sigh. He suddenly looked very old to Raven.

"I regretted what happened to you, Raven. But I suppose, I never fully saw my own part in it. I never saw that your lack of trust in me and most of the staff may have rooted from that. I suppose I just blamed it on your uncle's influence," he smiled as Raven chuckled.

"I'm sorry for lying to you, Raven. I just wanted you to have the chance to be a child. So did your father and grandfather. But now I see that I can't ignore that it was not the proper thing to do."

He turned to her slowly, "I'm sorry, Raven."

"Thank you, Professor," she replied, smiling and wiping tears away from her eyes, "So what about Harry?"

"I guess after all this, you deserve to know," Dumbledore said before taking a breath and continuing, "Shortly before Harry was born, a prophecy was told. It said that he and the Dark Lord were doomed to fight one another, and that ultimately, only one would survive."

"What's the problem then?" Raven asked, "Voldermort's dead."

"The problem, Raven," he said, solemnly, "is I fear he is not."

"What do you mean?" she asked, surprised.

"Voldemort was a powerful, dark wizard, and you of all people should know that someone willing to delve into the Dark Arts can find many ways of cheating death."

"But if he's alive, why hasn't he come back?" she questioned.

"He's no doubt been gathering strength since his defeat. His body was destroyed after all," he explained, "The very fact that it was destroyed is further evidence to the fact, as the Killing Curse should have left his body intact, not vaporize it."

"So you think he's out there somewhere, biding his time?" she asked.

"I do," he said, though his tone sounded like he wished he didn't.

"Then you have to tell him," she stated, "I know you only have Harry's best interest at heart but he needs to be ready for whatever is coming for him. I know you want him to be just a kid, I do to. But prophecies are heavy burdens, Professor."

She sighed and rubbed her arm with nervous energy.

"I may not have liked how I found out about that prophecy, but learning at his age made the weight more…bearable I guess," she explained.

"You speak with the wisdom of a women many times your age, Raven," Dumbledore commented as a smile spread across his face.

"Thank you, Professor," she said as her face reddened.

"I believe you have swayed me to your way of thinking. Harry will be told of the challenges he must face, if only to better prepare himself for them."

"I think you should tell him," she said, bluntly.

"If you believe that's the best course of action," Dumbledore said, slightly puzzled, "you do have more experience with what it is like to be the subject of a prophecy."

"True, but I think he'd take it better from you. You're the headmaster after all, and I'm just a student," she sighed before turning to leave, "Besides, we need Harry to fulfill his prophecy, so he probably shouldn't here it from someone who has to make sure they never fulfill theirs."

Without another word she walked across the office and opened the door.

"Oh, before I go," she said, standing in the doorway, "Harry says Professor Snape has been singling him out in Potions class, basically picking on him. Thought you'd want to look into it."

"Good night, Professor," she said as she left. Dumbledore looked like he wanted to say more, but he decided to let her go.

"Good night, Raven," he said with a resigned tone.

After she had left, Dumbledore rose from his seat and walked over to the fireplace. He rested a hand on the mantel and stared into the fire, looking every bit the tired, old man. As he stood there, Raven's tirade against him echoed through his mind.

"Just an old man in his ivory tower," he whispered to himself, as the fire continued to crackle, casting long shadows across the room.

A/N: Good bit of exposition this chapter, though there will be action soon enough. Also got to introduce a few more characters this chapter. Hardest by far was Jinx. I decided to combine how she looks in the comics, and the cartoons, which are radically different. I also gave her a real name, which I picked randomly, because neither version has one. Hope you enjoyed the events of this chapter and I'll try to get the next chapter out even sooner, as this one ended up being longer than expected. Later True Believers and please leave a review!


	4. Learn to Fly

**Chapter 4: Learn to Fly**

_September 8__th_

"I'm telling you guys, it came out of the painting," Harry said, as he, Ron, Tim and Misty stood in front of the scarecrow painting.

"You sure, mate?" Ron asked, "He seems to just be sitting there."

"Yeah, Harry," Misty agreed, "It's a really creepy picture, but the scarecrow doesn't seem to be moving."

"Maybe it was a trick of the light or something," Tim suggested.

"I know what I saw," Harry insisted, growing irritated.

"But Harry, I'm telling you, even if that bloody scarecrow could move, there's no way he could come out of the painting," Ron explained.

"Maybe I was just seeing things," Harry relented, doubting himself.

"Whatever, right now, we have to worry about getting to class on time," Tim said as he headed for the staircase.

"Come on, Harry," Misty said as she and Ron followed Tim. Harry nodded before following them himself.

As he walked down the hall, Harry heard a sound from behind him. Turning around, he saw the scarecrow standing in the hall watching him. Now that it was completely out of the painting, Harry could make out details about the scarecrow he hadn't noticed before. The scarecrow seemed to be made out of paint, as his extremities dripped multi-colored liquid.

The scarecrow grinned wickedly at Harry, before it brought its finger to its stitched lips in a shushing motion. Harry's body shook with fear, and he crunched his eyes closed and shook his head violently. When he opened his eyes, the scarecrow was gone. Harry wiped his eyes, and turned to follow his friends, finding he couldn't shake the cold shiver running down his spine.

_Later_

Harry and his classmates, once again consisting of Gryffindors and Slytherins, had gathered outside on the castle grounds. They had lined up in two even rows, facing each other. Next to each of them were old looking broomsticks, each fitted with stirrups. Their teacher, Madame Hooch, stood at the end of the two rows, observing the students with eagle-like intensity.

Madam Hooch was a middle aged woman with golden eyes and spiked, white hair. She had sharp features, which made her resemble a bird of prey. She was dressed in navy blue robes with leather gloves and boots.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson," she said, her voice full of authority as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I am Madame Hooch and I will be your flying instructor. Flying can be a very dangerous, so you will follow my orders to the letter, or their will be sever consequences.

Am I understood?"

The class nodded in affirmation. Nodding in return, Madam Hooch began to walk between the two rows.

"You will stretch your right hands over your broom and firmly give the command "up". After this, you will mount your broom and rise 5 feet into the air before returning to the ground. Am I understood?" She asked. The class nodded in affirmation again.

"Good, begin" she ordered.

Harry held his hand over the broom, feeling more excited then he thought he would.

"Up!" he commanded.

The broom shot up to his hand with impressive force, firmly entering Harry's hand.

"Whoa," Harry said, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Cool," Ron said, before turning to his own broom, "Up!"

The broom promptly popped up on its bristled end and struck Ron between the eyes with its handle. Ron stumbled back with a cry of surprise. Grabbing the broom with a growl, Ron began to rub the spot between his eyes. He turned and gave Harry a playful glare as his friend laughed at him.

"Shut up, Harry," he laughed, still rubbing his head.

Looking around, he saw that the others were having more trouble. Misty, Hermione and Neville's brooms were wobbling a few feet off the ground, while Tim lay upon the grass, completely unresponsive.

"UP!" he said with a growl. Suddenly, the broom shot into the sky, flipping through the air as it disappeared from view over the castle wall. A dead silence fell over the class as they all stared in the direction that the broom had flown in.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered.

"Well," Madam Hooch said, "I can say with certainty that, that has never happened before. Something must have been faulty with the broom. Well, after the others are done, we'll have one of your friends give you their broom and you can try it for yourself, Mr. Hunter. That work for you?"

"Yes, Madam," Tim replied, still looking in the direction that his broom had gone.

"All right class, I want you to mount your brooms and place your feet firmly on the ground," Hooch instructed.

They all mounted their brooms and waited for further instructions. At least until Neville began to rise off the ground.

"Mr. Longbottom?" Hooch asked, watching as Neville floated upwards. Neville had a panicked look on his face, looking around wildly for a way to make the broom go back down.

"Neville!" his friends began screaming, trying to urge him to go back down. Madam Hooch continued to scream at him with a similar hope.

After Neville had floated a few feet into the air, the broom tilted forward and took off like a shot. Neville screamed as the broom soared through the air. After a few seconds the broom tilted downwards and dove for the ground. At the last second, the broom leveled off, and Neville was sent corkscrewing through the air, parallel to the ground, and straight at the class.

The class screamed and scattered, while Madam Hooch stood her ground and drew her wand. She hesitated as she tried to figure out what to do and was forced to dive out of the way as Neville rocketed past. He flew through an open gateway and into one of the castle's courtyards.

The broom then rocketed upwards again and began to loop over the castle walls. As it did, it passed by a statue of a knight with his sword pointed upwards. Neville's cloak became caught on the stone sword and he was yanked from the broom, left dangling far above the ground. Neville moaned in fright as his cloak began to rip. With a scream, he fell again, before being caught by his shirt on a torch scone. This ripped under his weight as well and he fell to the ground with a thud and a crack

The class gathered around where Neville had fallen, murmuring amongst themselves. Madam Hooch pushed her way through the crowd and rushed to where Neville lay, holding his arm.

"Oh, oh," Madam Hooch said as she leaned down and cradled Neville, "That's a sprain. Come along."

She gingerly helped Neville to his feet and began walking him back towards the castle.

"I shall escort Mr. Longbottom to the Medical Wing. You are all to remain on the ground until I return. Anyone who decides to take a flight will find themselves expelled from Hogwarts faster than you can say Quidditch," she threatened as she left.

As soon as she left, a sinister chuckle came from Malfoy's direction. Turning, Harry saw that he was palming Neville's remembrall.

"To bad Longbottom didn't give this a squeeze," he sneered, tossing it to himself, "If he did, then maybe he would have remember to fall on his fat arse."

"Give it here, Malfoy!" Harry demanded, stepping forward.

"You want it, Potter?" he asked, as he began to back away "Well come and take it."

As he backed away, he ended up backing right into Tim, who had stepped behind him.

"Hand it over, Malfoy," Tim ordered, glaring at the other boy.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his side as Crabbe booted Tim in the hip, knocking him to the ground.

Tim groaned as Malfoy and his lackeys grinned down at him.

"That ought to teach you to respect your betters, mudblood," Malfoy taunted as he stepped onto his broom, which quickly glided away.

"Don't worry though. I'll leave this somewhere Longbottom can find it."

He quickly straddled the broom and rose off the ground, before swooping over the class.

"How 'bout the roof!?" he called, mockingly. Harry looked up after him angrily.

"What's the matter, Potter!?" he shouted, "Bit beyond your reach!?"

Harry moved to follow him, but felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he found Hermione standing behind him, a serious look on her face.

"Harry, no way!" she said, "You'll get expelled!"

Harry quickly shrugged her hand away before hopping on his broom and taking off.

"What an idiot," she muttered as she watched him leave.

Harry flew up to Malfoy before coming to a stop a few feet away from the blonde boy.

"Give it here Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom!" He threatened.

"I'd like to see you try!" Malfoy taunted.

Fuming, Harry charged at him, but Malfoy merely rolled out of the way, laughing as he did so.

"Not so tough with out your mudblood to back you up!" he yelled, loud enough so the people on the ground could hear him.

"You want it so bad, Potter!?" he sneered as he wound up to throw the remembrall, "Then go ge-WHOA!!"

As Malfoy had gone to throw the remembrall, the back of his broom burst into flame. Malfoy screamed as the broom rocked violently before plunging towards the ground.

For a moment Harry just stared as Malfoy fell. As he did, he could see the class on the ground gasp in surprise and horror. Except for Tim. Harry wasn't sure, but it looked like the air was moving around him, stirring Tim's hair and robes along with the grass near him. And Tim's glare looked like it could set something ablaze. Harry wondered if it had.

Then, before he knew what he was doing, Harry was moving. He dove after Malfoy, gaining on him faster than he though possible. Seconds before Malfoy hit the ground, Harry grabbed the back of his shirt, before he leveled off to the ground. Harry grunted under Malfoy's weight, before dropping him, their momentum sending the blonde boy tumbling across the ground.

Dropping Malfoy had sent Harry into a corkscrew spin parallel to the ground, much like Neville had earlier. As he spun, Harry saw the remembrall slip from Malfoy's hand and go flying into the air. Straightening out, Harry managed to turn to where the remembrall was heading. Right before it hit the ground, Harry grabbed it. The force of his reach sent Harry spinning off the broom, but he managed to turn in midair, before landing on his knees in a slide and skidding to a stop.

Harry breathed heavily as he felt his heart beating in his ears. He was gripping the remembrall so hard that his fingers were white. He slowly lifted up to look at the remembrall, a smile crossing his face as his body shook with the adrenalin coursing through it. He sprung to his feet and held the remembrall above him, whooping with joy.

The rest of the class rushed towards him, the Gryffindors shouting in joy as they surrounded him. Harry quickly found himself shaking hands and on the receiving end of pats on the back.

"Mr. Potter!" the authoritative voice of Professor McGonagall cut through the air.

The crowd of students around Harry suddenly separated, as the elderly witch marched forward.

"Come with me," she ordered, before turning towards Tim, "You as well, Mr. Hunter,"

Both boys gulped simultaneously, before following the professor with their heads lowered.

_Later_

Tim sat quietly in the Infirmary, twiddling his thumbs as he looked at his hands. Just a little bit earlier, Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall had been running "tests" on him. What they were looking for was beyond him. Now, the Headmaster was here, talking with Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall in the nurse's office.

Neville sat a few feet away in a bed of his own, his arm placed in a sling.

"So," Neville said, speaking for the first time since Tim got there, "What happened?"

"Well, after you fell, you dropped your remembrall," Tim began. Almost instantly, Neville's hand went to his pocket, looking for the mentioned item. He groaned when he found that the item was indeed missing.

"Yeah, Malfoy found it, and proceeded to think up something evil to do with it," Tim continued. After Tim had finished the story, Neville was listening with rapt attention.

"But, why are you here?" he asked, after the story was done.

"That's what I'm wondering," Tim replied.

"You don't think…you lit Malfoy's broom on fire?" Neville asked.

"Honestly, Neville," Tim sighed, "I wouldn't be surprised."

Just then, the three adults came out of Madam Pomfrey's office and approached Tim.

"You're free to go, Mr. Longbottom," Madam Pomfrey said. Neville understood that he was being dismissed and got up before hurrying out of the room.

"Now Mr. Hunter, there's something we wanted to talk to you about," Professor Dumbledore stated.

"What's that, Professor?" Tim asked, feeling nervous.

"The test's we ran on you came back with some rather…interesting results," the professor said, hesitantly.

"What kind of results?" Tim questioned.

"The tests we ran were on a particular part of your anatomy. Your magical core."

"My what?"

"Your magical core is what allows you to use magic. It is what allows wizards and witches to absorb the arcane energies that permeate our world, and manipulate them to our ends. It is located near the base of the skull," Dumbledore explained, indicating towards the appropriate area.

Tim subconsciously rubbed the indicated area, looking confused.

"It's in me? How have Muggle doctor's never found it before," he asked.

"You see, Mr. Hunter," Madam Pomfrey stepped in, "the mystical nature of the magical core makes it impossible for Muggle devices to detect."

"Oh, okay," he responded, "So…what's so special about mine?"

"If our tests are correct," Dumbledore continued, "Your magical core is far more powerful than normal."

"How much?"

"Almost a hundred times more," Dumbledore answered.

"…that's pretty big, huh?" Tim asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, it is, Mr. Hunter," Dumbledore responded with a chuckle.

"So, what now?" Tim asked.

"Well, the problem with having such a large magical core is that you seem to have poor control over your magic," Professor McGonagall answered.

"As such, we've decided that I will give you lessons on controlling your magic, three times a week," Dumbledore finished.

"Alright," Tim said in agreement.

"Good," Dumbledore nodded, "I will see you in my office tomorrow after your classes. For now, I think your friends waiting patiently outside would like to see you."

Before Tim could ask what he meant, Dumbledore walked up to the door to the infirmary and opened it.

"Mr. Hunter is ready for visitors now," Dumbledore stated before opening the door wider and allowing Harry, Misty, Ron and Neville entry. They all looked surprised and confused; obviously trying to figure out how the headmaster knew they were there.

"Hey mate," Ron greeted, "How you feeling?"

"Good," Tim answered, scratching the back of his head, "I guess,"

"What happened?" Neville asked, before looking at the adults in the room, "If we're allowed to ask that is."

"It's up to Mr. Hunter if he wishes to tell you," Professor Dumbledore answered.

"You can tell us," Harry told him, "You can trust us."

"Well, do you guys what a magical core is?" he asked.

Misty and Neville nodded, as did Ron after a moment of thinking. Harry simply shook his head.

"Well Harry, it's basically where your magic comes from," Tim explained before taking a deep breath, "Mine is kind of…bigger than normal."

"How much bigger?" Misty questioned.

"…About a hundred times."

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered in amazement, after a few seconds of stunned silent.

"So that's why you sent that broom flying this morning," Misty stated, "Well, in a way that it wasn't meant to fly."

"Yeah it also explains why Malfoy's broom burst into flames," Harry said.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Neville asked.

"Professor Dumbledore said he would help me practice my control, so I don't blow things up every time I get angry now," Tim answered.

"That's pretty cool," Ron asked, before a look of realization crossed his face, "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you!"

"What?" Tim questioned.

"Well, you ending up in the infirmary wasn't the only interesting thing to come out of that flying lesson,"

"Oh?"

"Yep," Ron nodded excitedly, before putting his hand on Harry's shoulder, "Harry here got placed on the Gryffindor Quiditch team!"

"…the what?" Tim asked, giving Ron a blank stare.

"Ha! That's what I said!" Harry laughed, before explaining, "It's a Wizarding sport. It's kind of like football….except not really. And it's played on brooms."

"Wow. Sounds pretty cool."

"Yeah, and Harry here is the youngest Seeker in a century," Ron gushed.

"Wow!" Tim exclaimed, "…What's a Seeker?"

Ron groaned as the others laughed.

_Later,_

"Wow, it's later than I thought," Harry said as he and the others made their way through the castle towards Gryffindor Tower . Night had fallen over the castle, and the light from the torches in the walls cast long shadows. They were currently climbing the staircases to reach the Fat Lady's portrait

"Yeah, we got to get back before Filch finds us or-oomf!" Ron cried out as he ran into someone. As he picked himself up, he found he had run straight into Hermione, causing her to drop the large amount of books she was carrying.

"Hey!" Ron shouted, "Watch where you're going!"

"Where I'm going?" Hermione shouted back as she picked up her books, "You ran into me!"

"Does it really matter?" Misty questioned as she bent down to help pick up Hermione's books. Hermione smiled at her in thanks.

"She's right," Harry agreed, as he began to climb the staircase, "We have to get back to the Tower or we'll all be in trouble."

As he and the others began to walk up the stairs, there was a loud groaning noise.

"The staircase is moving!" Tim shouted, as the stone staircase suddenly swung around, now leading them to a completely different part of the castle.

"Come on," Harry said, walking up the stairs, "Let's get off them before they decide to move again."

They all hustled up the stairs and through a doorway into a dark corridor. Slowly, their eyes adjusted, and they saw that the corridor seemed largely unused, with dust covering the floor and cobwebs on the walls. The torches were more spread off then the others throughout the castle, and there were no windows in the hall, making the hall much darker than usual.

"We shouldn't be here," Hermione whispered, "This is the third floor corridor. It's out of bounds."

"Hermione's right," Misty agreed, "we should get out of here."

As the turned to go, they saw a cat sitting next to torch, watching them intently.

"It's Mrs. Norris!" Tim whispered harshly, "Filch's cat!"

"Let's get out of here!" Harry said as he and the others turned and hid behind a corner.

As they hid, they heard the approaching sound of boots on hard stone.

"Hello, my pretty," Filch's voice said, addressing the cat.

Mrs. Norris meowed in response, before the sound of Filch's boots were heard again, coming closer.

"Have you found something, my dear?" he asked the cat as he approached.

"We have to get out of here!" Neville whispered.

"Look," Tim said, pointing down the hall, "a door!"

"Come on!" Harry whispered as they moved down the hall.

Ron grabbed the door ring and pulled on it. The door refused to budge.

"It's locked," he whispered desperately.

"Move!" Hermione ordered, shoving him out of the way and drawing her wand.

"Alohomora!" she said, pointing her want at the door. The inside of the lock glowed briefly before a clicking sound was heard.

"Hurry!" she said as she opened the door. The others rushed in as she closed the door quietly behind them.

They remained absolutely quite as they listened to Filch's footsteps stop nearby.

"Nothing here, my love," he said, before he continued along, his footsteps disappearing down the hallway.

"That was close," Misty whispered, leaning her head against the door.

"Um…guys?" Neville said in a very small voice.

"What's the matt-oh boy" Tim said as he turned around.

The others turned around to see what the matter was and all stared in stunned silence.

Before them stood a massive black dog, possessing three large heads. The dog resembled a Rottweiler, and appeared to be almost too large for the room, its heads almost hitting the ceiling as it rose up to look at them. It leaned down to look at them with its black eyes, and growled savagely, saliva dripping from its mouths.

The dog let out a savage roar as the kids screamed in terror. Whirling around, they flung the door open and rushed out as the dog lunged at them. They managed to close the door as the dog tried to stick one of its heads through it to get them. Getting the door close, they ran full sprint to the Tower, somehow managing to get there without being caught.

They hurled themselves into the Common Room as soon as the door had opened, and stood around, desperately trying to catch their breath.

"What was that?" Harry thought out loud.

"I'm no expert, but it looked a lot like a giant, three headed dog to me, Harry," Tim joked.

"Did you see what it was standing on?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ron snapped, "I was kind of distracted by its heads. If you didn't notice, it had three!"

"Ron! You don't have to be so mean," Mist chastised, before turning to look at Hermione, "What was it standing on?"

"A trap door," Hermione answered, "I'm fairly certain it was guarding it."

"So it's a guard dog," Harry summarized, "Maybe it guarding whatever Hagrid took from Dumbledore's vault."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, and I'm not sure I want to know," Hermione said as she turned to go, "I'm going to bed before you all come up with another brilliant plan to get us all killed, or worse, expelled."

"She needs to sort out her priorities," Ron muttered as he watched her go.

"Would it kill you to be nice?" Misty asked, as she followed Hermione up the stairs.

Misty hurried up the stairs, before coming to the room that she and Hermione shared with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Looking around the room, she saw that the two other girls weren't there at the moment and Hermione was setting the books she had onto her bed.

"Hey Hermione," she greeted, "That was pretty scary back there, huh?"

"…Yeah," Hermione said after a moment, a smile crossing her face, "Thanks for…sticking up for me against Ron."

"Sure, no problem," Misty replied, "Ron can be an oaf sometimes, but he's a nice guy if you get to know him."

"Haven't seen that yet," Hermione muttered, "He's just like all the kids I've known growing up."

"I take it you didn't have a lot of friends before Hogwarts, huh?" Misty asked, sitting on Hermione's bed.

"I didn't have any. You're my first real friend," she paused and looked at Misty with fearful eyes, "You…are my friend, right?"

"Of course!" Misty said, sounding almost offended, "To tell you the truth, before I came here, I didn't have any friends either."

"Really?" Hermione asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, there are…things about me that people don't like," Misty explained with some trepidation.

"Things?" Hermione questioned.

Misty bit her lip with nervous energy as she thought of what to do. As she did, she thought of what Raven had told her. About how her friends, her _real_ friends, wouldn't care about what she was.

"Alright," she whispered, "I'm going to tell you a secret. You can't tell anyone, alright?"

Hermione nodded her head so fast the Misty was worried it would fly off. Nodding in return, Misty walked over to the door and made sure it was closed. Then, with her back to Hermione, she slipped off her cloak and began undoing her shirt buttons.

"Whoa! What are you showing me exactly?" Hermione asked in a panicked voice.

"What?" Misty asked as she took her shirt off, before a bright blush crossed her face and she covered her chest, "No! I was just…you see I…it's not what you think. Just…you'll see."

Closing her eyes, Misty began to whisper to herself. Suddenly, the air began to move around her, stirring her long hair as her body began to glow with a blue light. As Hermione watched, Misty skin turned blue as thin, wispy lines appeared on her body, circling around her arms and swirling around her cheeks and belly button. The white streak in her hair began to grow until all of her hair was snow white. Her ears grew to points and her irises turned black. Her teeth changed into sharp fangs, her tongue became pointed and darker in color, and even her saliva changed to a sickly green. Last of all, two pairs of dragonfly-like wings grew from her back, each one half her height in length.

Just as suddenly as it had began, the transformation ceased. The air stopped stirring and Misty stopped glowing. Misty stared at the ground, her arms wrapped protectively around her chest. She slowly looked up at Hermione, fear in her black eyes.

"Hi," she said, a nervous smile crossing her face.

"Oh my God," Hermione whispered, her eyes wide with amazement, "You're a Sheeda. A Dark Fairy."

"Yes," Misty said with a great deal of shame, "Seeing as you know what I am, I'm guessing you know what the Sheeda did."

"Yes," Hermione nodded, moving closer to Misty, "Your kind served Morgan le Fay, and helped destroy Camelot. Merlin's last act was to seal your kind away."

"Yeah," she said, lowering her head in shame, "I understand if you hate me now."

"Hate you?" Hermione asked, clearly confused, "Why would I hate you?"

"What?" Misty asked in return, confused herself.

"Misty," Hermione said, walking up to Misty, "You're one of the nicest people I've ever met. It's clear that you're not like the others of your kind. You're so afraid of what people will think of you, that you hide what you truly are. That doesn't sound like any Sheeda I've read about. I don't see any reason to hate you."

Tears began to stream down Misty's face and before she knew it, she had thrown her arms around Hermione and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Owowow," Hermione hissed, causing Misty to quickly let her go.

"Sorry, sometimes I forget how strong I am," Misty apologized, wiping her eyes.

"It's alright," Hermione said with a smile, before a blush crossed her face and she averted her eyes, "And as much as I like celebrating newfound friendship, can you put your shirt back on?"

Misty's blush was apparent even on her blue skin.

"Yeah. No problem."

A/N: Bit of a short chapter this time around, but never the less an important one. Took some artistic liberties with both Misty specifically and the Sheeda as a whole. But it fits my story better than Grant Morrison's version, so I'm not going to sweat over it. Expect a lot of action next chapter. Feels like forever since I wrote an action scene and I'm anxious to write one again. Hope you all liked the chapter and leave a review! Later, True Believers!


	5. Demons of Light

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing

**Chapter 5: Demons of Light**

_October 31__st_

"I can't believe you!" Misty shouted, "You're such a jerk!"

"Hey, it's not my fault what I said was true!" Ron shouted back.

Harry and Tim glanced at each other, feeling helpless as their two friends argued outside the entrance to the Great Hall. Hours earlier, after Charms class, Ron had made fun of Hermione, an act which apparently had the girl locked in a bathroom crying.

"You mocked her and said she didn't have any friends! And all she did was try to help you with a stupid charm!" Misty shrieked.

"She's a bossy know-it-all who nobody likes or wants to be friends with!" Ron roared.

The argument came to a screeching halt as the sharp sound of a slap echoed through the hall. Ron blinked away tears as he rubbed the throbbing red mark on the side of his face.

"_I'm her friend!_" Misty shouted before storming off in the direction of the stairs.

Harry and Tim watched Misty leave with shocked faces. They slowly turned to look at Ron, who was glaring after her.

"What are you two looking at?" he demanded as he turned to look at the two boys. Before they could answer, he turned and stomped into the Great Hall. Harry and Tim looked at each other again, before sighing and following the red head.

_Later_

Ron had cooled down a bit as they ate at the Halloween Feast. Numerous plates of food covered the tables and Jack-O-Lanterns hovered overhead. The three boys sat in silence as they ate, an awkward feeling in the air.

Suddenly, the doors to the Hall were thrown open and Professor Quirell rushed in.

"Trolls!" he screamed as ran towards the faculty table, "Trolls in the castle!"

He stumbled to a halt, looking at Dumbledore, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Thought you'd want to know," he said breathlessly, before promptly fainting.

Pandemonium quickly swept through the Hall as the students began screaming in panic. Harry wasn't sure what exactly a troll was, but he had heard enough fairy tales about them to know they were bad news.

Dumbledore rose to his feet, preparing to quite the students when a loud roar cut through the air.

A mass of brown fur was hurled through the doorway before hitting the floor with a massive thud. As it rolled to a stop, Harry saw that it was the grizzly bear, Charlie. He groaned and shook his head as the students near him rushed away, seeking shelter by the walls.

As Charlie picked himself up, a large creature lumbered in. The creature was humanoid in shape, with grey, rocky-looking skin. Its head was bald and seemed small compared to the rest of its 12 foot tall body. It had large ears, a prominent nose and beady, yellow eyes. It had a large pot belly and overly long, muscular arms, like those of a gorilla. Its feet resembled those of an elephant, with hard, flat soles.

It roared at Charlie in challenge, before it was sent reeling forward as it was struck from behind. As it whirled around, Harry could see Hagrid hanging from the troll's back, his arm wrapped around its neck. With a muffled roar, it grabbed Hagrid's arms and broke his hold, before flipping him over and slamming him against the floor, cracking it.

The troll stood back up, only to be tackled by Charlie, sending them both tumbling across the floor. The troll shoved Charlie off of him, but Charlie rounded on it and slashed the troll across the face with his claws. The troll held its now bleeding face, screaming in pain. Charlie took the opportunity to knock it to the ground again. Holding the troll down with his paws, Charlie opened his mouth and drove his teeth into the troll's neck. The troll gurgled with pain, before there was a wet, ripping noise and the troll stopped moving.

Breathing heavily, Charlie backed away from the now dead troll. He turned around, spitting out the troll's blood and flesh as he did so. Hagrid groaned as he slowly picked himself off the ground.

"Headmaster," Charlie said in a low voice, "We have a problem."

The next few minutes were spent organizing and escorting the students out of the Great Hall, leading them to their individual houses. Ron's brother Percy lead the Gryffindors quickly up the staircase to the Tower. The sound of troll roars and things being destroyed echoing through the castle helped move the students quickly along. Some of the girls in Harry's class were sobbing with fear. The sound made Harry realize something and a cold chill swept through his body.

"Misty and Hermione!" Harry whispered harshly to the others, his face full of fear.

"What?" Ron asked.

"They're still in the girl's bathroom! They don't know about the trolls!" he explained.

"Oh God," Tim whispered, "We have to find them!"

"Do you know where they are?" Ron asked.

"Fourth floor. That's what Misty said," Harry answered.

"Let's go!" Tim whispered, the others nodding in agreement.

The three boys quickly glanced at Percy to make sure he wasn't looking, before darting off. They rushed through the castle, the sound of pitched combat echoing through the halls. After a few minutes, they came to the corridor where the girls bathroom was located…just in time to see two trolls rumble inside, breaking the door frame as they did so.

"Oh no," Harry whispered as Hermione's scream cut through the air. The boys rushed in after the trolls, wands drawn.

The trolls had their backs to the doorway, both looking up at a corner of the bathroom ceiling. There, a strange, fairy-like creature was perched. It was a girl, with white hair, black eye and blue skin. She had pointed teeth and claws and was held aloft by buzzing, insectoid wings.

The creature darted forward, scratching one of the troll's faces. The troll cried out in pain, and swung blindly, destroying the stalls, where Harry saw Hermione was hiding. The fairy ducked below the troll's wild swing before leaping on its chest and sinking her teeth into its neck.

The troll groaned in pain as the fairy flittered away. The troll suddenly seemed uneasy on its feet. Holding its wound with its hand, the troll let out a low groan before it toppled forward, destroying the sinks and spraying water all over the room.

The fairy floated down to the floor and looked over at the boys. It was then that Harry noticed it was wearing a school uniform with Gryffindor colors, along with a familiar pair of black and orange socks.

"Misty?" Harry asked, looking at her with a confused expression.

"Harry?" she asked, her black eyes going wide with surprise, slowly she turned to look over at the other boys "Ron?"

"Sheeda," Ron whispered, his face going ghostly white as his body shook with fear.

A loud roar caught all their attentions as the other troll swung at Misty with the club it carried. She was caught completely off guard and the club struck her hard, sending her slamming into the wall of bathroom, leaving a large crater in it.

"Misty!" Hermione shouted in horror.

Hermione's voice snapped Harry back to reality and before he knew what he was doing, he sprung into action. He hopped up onto one of the sinks before leaping off it and grabbing the troll's shoulders. Before it knew what was happening, Harry had climbed up on to the troll's shoulders and wrapped his legs around its neck.

Now that he was there though, Harry was unsure what to do. The troll began to attempt to shake him off, shaking its head from side to side. At that point, Harry decided to take a move from his Uncle Vernon's playbook and struck the troll hard on the ear. The troll roared in pain and it reached for Harry.

Harry managed to duck out of the way of the hand, but lost his grip as a result. Lashing out desperately, he grabbed the troll's nose, accidentally sticking his wand up its nose. The troll groaned with discomfort before grabbing the now dangling Harry between its fingers.

The others watched in horror as the troll swung at Harry, who managed to pull himself up and avoid the blow.

"Help!" he screamed, as the troll pulled back for another swing.

Ron pointed his wand at the troll, and froze desperately thinking of something to do. Only one think came to mind as he adjusted his aim, now pointing his wand at the troll's club. Hermione seemed to read his mind, as he could see her out of the corner of his eye making motions with her fingers while mouthing "swish and flick."

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" he called as he twirled his wand.

As the troll swung at Harry, its club suddenly broke from its grip. The troll stared at its now empty hand, clearly confused. Glancing up, it saw its club floating above its head. With a flick, Ron ended the spell, and the club dropped out of the air, directly on the troll's head. The troll stumbled around for a bit, before it fell flat on its face, taking up the space not occupied by the other.

As soon as the troll had fallen, Hermione rushed from her hiding place to where Misty lay.

"Misty!" she cried, helping her friend up from the wall. Misty moaned in pain, and looked at Hermione with a dazed expression.

"Hermione?" she asked, sounding confused.

"Get away from her!" Ron shouted, pulling Hermione away, "Don't you know what she is?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice harsh and her eyes hard, "She's my friend, and yours too."

This seemed to stop Ron in his tracks, leading him to just stand and stare at Hermione. In the meantime, Harry moved past Ron to where Hermione and Misty were.

"Here, let me help," he said as he put Misty's arm over his shoulder, while Hermione did the same with her other arm.

"You got her?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said as they both lifted her.

"You going to stand there all night, Ron?" Harry asked as they carried Misty past her.

"Guys," Tim said as he backed away from the door, "We got another problem."

Looking up, they saw no less than three trolls standing in the doorway, apparently attracted by the sound of the battle. They growled down at the kids, who quaked in response.

"Get behind me," Tim said quickly, not taking his eyes off the trolls, who glared down at him.

"What?" Ron asked, snapping out of his daze.

"Get behind me!" he roared, before he dove out of the way as one of the trolls swung its club at him.

Tim scrambled to his feet as the others crowded behind him. Holding his hands out in front of him, Tim closed his eyes, focusing on the words Dumbledore had said to him during their weeks of training.

'_You're magic is raw, Mr. Hunter. Untamed. You must concentrate to use it, bend it to your will. Though your wand is needed for precise spell work, your magic can still be used without it for broader effects. All you need is the will to control it. Simply focus on what you want done and will it to be done. This will not be easy, Tim, and using your magic this will certainly expend a lot of energy," Dumbledore's voice echoed in his head, "But I see in you the will needed to perform this feat. I have faith that you can do this._'

Magical energy began to spark with power as his face scrunched up with concentration. A single thought echoed through his head as he brought his power to bear.

'_' _he thought as his hands continued to glow with power. Then, his eyes snapped open, now glowing.

"GO AWAY!!!!" he shouted, just as one of the trolls swung its club at him.

There was a low hum as a bright flash lit up the bathroom. This was followed by the loud sound of an explosion. When the light faded, the others saw that entire wall of the bathroom had been destroyed, along with the wall across the hall, having collapsed onto the trolls after the blast knocked them into it. Tim panted heavily, before he swayed on his feet and fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Tim!" the other three called out in surprise and shock.

"Ron, can you carry him?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded before heaving Tim onto his back.

"Merlin's beard," Ron whispered in awe, looking at the destruction as they left the destroyed bathroom, "Never really knew what having a magic core a hundred times larger than normal meant until right now."

"Stop gawking, Ronald," Hermione chastised, as she and Harry began to carry Misty away, "We have to get them to safety!"

"Right," Ron agreed as he adjusted his grip on Tim before hurrying after his friends.

They rushed through the darkened halls of the castle, attempting to remain as stealthy as they could.

"How do we get to the Tower from here?" Harry asked, feeling hopelessly lost.

"This way!" Ron said, rushing ahead of the group and around a corner. Seconds later, he came running back around the corner, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"WRONG WAY!!!" he shouted, as he ran past him. The thunderous sound of running trolls was all it took to get Harry and Hermione to follow suit, almost dragging Misty as they ran screaming down the hall.

As the three ran around another corner, they almost ran straight into two more trolls. The large creatures turned slowly to look at them, before growling as they prepared to attack. Turning back, they saw no less then four trolls rumbling after them.

"We're trapped!" Ron moaned as he and the other slowly inched their way into a corner, the trolls closing in around them.

One of the trolls stepped forward, and raised its club above its head, roaring as it brought it down. The children screamed in fright as they huddled together, desperately shielding their heads.

"_**Azorath Metrion Zinthos!**_" a voice called out. Suddenly, a dome of black energy surrounded them, the troll's club clinking off the side as if it were tank armor.

Then, the dome faded away as a large pool of shadows appeared between the kids and the trolls. Slowly, forms rose out of the shadow, before Harry recognized them as Raven, Wanda, Daimon, Sebastian, and Gemma.

Raven had her hands, with auras of black energy surrounding them, stretched above her head and from his angle, Harry could just make out that her eyes were glowing white. Wanda had her hair done back in a ponytail and her hands and eyes glowed red with power. Daimon had his shirt off and Harry could feel heat radiating from him. Sebastian eyes were completely black and Harry saw a large sack hanging from his waist. Finally, Gemma wore a pair of holsters on her hips, each holding an ornate looking handgun.

"Stay behind us," Raven said, glancing over her shoulder at the kids.

"Yeah," Daimon agreed, turning to face them, revealing the pentacle he had tattooed on his chest, "We'll show you how it's done."

Gemma reached for her holsters and pulled out her guns, holding them parallel to her head. In the torchlight, Harry could make out the words Michael and Gabriel written along the sides of the barrels.

"You ready, boys?" she asked, cocking the guns and eyeing the trolls.

"Let's just even the odds some more," Sebastian said, reaching for the bag on his waist and pulled it out. He quickly untied the bag and dumped it out, sending its contents scattering across the floor. It wasn't until the contents rolled to a stop that Harry saw that they were bones.

As the bones came to a stop, Sebastian held his hand in the air and began reciting words Harry didn't recognize. A white aura surrounded his hand and the bones, before the bones began to roll towards each other and began to form a skeleton. The skeleton was able to stand, despite having no discernable way of doing so. After a majority of the skeleton had been built, the skull rolled to its feet. As the skeleton leaned down and picked it up, Harry noticed that it had horns growing out of its head. The skeleton placed the skull on its neck, and secured it with an audible snap.

The skeleton slowly turned around before kneeling in front of Sebastian. As it did so, it became engulfed in black and red flames. When the flames subsided, the figure now possessed muscle and skin over its bones. The creature was clearly male, with blue skin, pointed ears and toned muscles. It had small horns on its head, and its hands and bare feet were clawed. It wore a black vest with black pants, and wore small, hoop earrings in its ears.

"What is thy bidding, my master?" he asked in a deep voice.

"We need your help battling the trolls," Sebastian explained.

The creature looked over its shoulder at the trolls, who were looking hesitantly at the group. The creature stood up before turning to face the trolls.

"It shall be done," it stated, solemnly.

"Always a pleasure to see you, Blue," Daimon stated. As he did, the pentacle on his chest began to glow, before his body suddenly burst into flame. The flames subsided, revealing that Daimon had changed. His skin was now blood red and his hair pitch black. His eyes glowed bright red and his mouth seemed to glow with an unseen flame. His hands were now clawed and small horns grew from his forehead.

"Don't get in my way, half-breed" Blue growled, before rushing forward at one of the trolls.

"Like I said," Daimon said with a grin, as he rushed forward as well, "Always a pleasure."

The two rushed towards the stunned trolls, both running low to the ground. Daimon cut in front of Blue, moving to strike at one of the creatures. The troll moved to block him, but Daimon cut short and jumped, spiraling over the trolls head.

The troll watched with confusion as Daimon spiraled over its head. This meant that it couldn't react in time when Blue drove his fist into the troll's stomach. The troll groaned in pain as the very air seemed to ripple with the force of the blow. The punch sent the troll tumbling across the ground, rolling to a stop a few feet away

Blue walked over to where the troll lay. As he did, he clapped his hands together, causing fire to form between his palms. He slowly pulled his hands apart, a line of fire forming in the air between them. After the length reached four feet, he grabbed the line of flame. The flames solidified and formed into a trident of gold metal.

Blue twirled the trident around as the troll picked itself up. The troll roared and threw a backhand at Blue, but he quickly rolled beneath it. As he rolled to his feet, Blue brought the trident to bear, stabbing the troll in the stomach. The troll's scream of pain combined with Blue's grunt of effort as he lifted the skewered troll into the air. With a roar, he slammed the troll onto the floor behind him.

With a tug, Blue pulled the trident out of the troll. He quickly twirled it around before driving it into the troll's neck. The troll gurgled in pain before its head rolled to the side and it stopped moving. Blue ripped the trident out of the troll's neck, before examining the blood running down its points with a growl of satisfaction.

After Daimon had leaped over the troll, he quickly turned around and rushed at another trolls back. Leaping into the air, he landed on the back of the troll's head, causing it to lurch forward. He bounced up and grabbed the troll's head with his hands. He quickly swung down and drove his knees into the trolls face. The monster cried out in pain and stumbled backwards, while Daimon flipped away and landed gracefully on his feet.

In a blink of an eye, Daimon had burst forward while slamming his hands together and creating a trident in the same way Blue had. He twirled it around expertly before leaping to the air and spinning around, slamming the side of the trident across the troll's head. The troll stumbled in pain as Daimon landed, quickly ducking down and sweeping the troll's massive legs with his trident. As the troll fell through the air, Daimon planted the trident in the ground before using it as leverage to boot the troll in the stomach with both feet, sending the monster tumbling away.

Daimon rushed forward and stabbed the trident into the ground, before bending it backwards and using it like a pole vault, launching him towards the troll. As the creature stood, Daimon corkscrewed through the air, before he drove his feet into the troll's chest again, followed by the loud sound of bones cracking. Daimon leaped off the troll's chest and landed as it fell to the ground. Daimon grinned in satisfaction as he brushed off his hands.

Gemma quickly brought her weapons to bear against one of the trolls. The monster stumbled backwards in pain, holding its arms up to protect itself as the projectiles drilled into its skin. Gemma took the opportunity to rush the troll, firing rapidly as she ran. As she got close to it, Gemma dropped into a slide, still firing. She continued to fire as she slid between the troll's legs. She turned so she faced the troll's back, pumping lead into the trolls back as she slowed to a stop.

As she slid to a stop, Gemma pushed a button on the side of the guns. A spinning noise was emitted from the barrels as they extended as if empty. Different colored energies flashed within the barrels, changing every few seconds. When it flashed a deep red, she pushed the button again, and the guns collapsed back into their normal position.

As the troll turned around to face her, its wounds oozing blood as she pointed her guns at the troll's head. She pulled the triggers and the barrels began to glow orange. A second later, a bright burst of energy shot from the guns and struck the troll in the face, exploding into a fire ball. The troll fell backwards, its head aflame, landing with a loud thud as Gemma twirled her guns with a flourish.

As one of the trolls rushed forward, Sebastian stepped forward, his hands surrounded by white auras. As the troll lifted its club to attack, Sebastian stepped forward and thrust his hands forward, causing the troll to go flying back as if struck by some invisible force. The blast had knocked the troll through a wall and Sebastian quickly followed it.

As he stepped through the hole, the troll picked up a piece of stone debris and chucked it at Sebastian. Acting quickly, Sebastian held up his hand, the white aura surrounding it. The same aura quickly surrounded the brick, stopping it in midair. Sebastian then made a thrusting motion, sending the brick flying back at the troll. The stone hit the troll square between the eyes, knocking the beast onto its back.

The troll slowly pulled itself to its feet, holding its head and glaring at him. What it saw was Sebastian with his hands held above his head, his eyes black and his eyes glowing white. Then, more pieces of rubble began to glow white as they rose into the air, floating around Sebastian.

"_Azarath Metrion Zinthos!_" he cried, pointing his hands in front of him. The bricks shot forward, striking the troll like a flying avalanche. The beast could do nothing but scream in fear as it was buried. When the dust settled, all that could be see of the troll were its hands and feet sticking out from beneath the pile.

Wanda cracked her knuckles as she approached one of the trolls. As it swung its club at her, she tossed a hex bolt at it. As soon as the bolt came into contact with the club, it disintegrated, leaving only a cloud of dust. The troll looked at its hand in confusion, trying to figure out what had happened. As it did, Wanda shot another hex bolt at the ground beneath the troll's feet. The floor opened up, and the troll fell through, landing with a loud thud.

Walking up to the hole, Wanda peered down through it. The troll lay on its back, groaning in pain. Slowly, it began to sit up, growling at Wanda as it did so. In response, Wanda threw another hex bolt at its feet. Yet again, the floor opened up beneath the troll and it fell screaming to the next floor. Wanda cringed as the creature fell flat on its face and lay there, unmoving.

Raven blocked one the troll's swings with a shield made from black energy. When the troll moved to swing again, Raven thrust her hand out. The black energy formed a claw, much like that of a predatory bird. The claw shot out and wrapped itself around the troll's chest, before slamming it into a wall. Pulling back her arm back, she made a fist causing the energy claw to form one as well. Throwing her fist forward, the claw slammed into the trolls face, slamming its head through the wall.

As the troll stumbled from the blow, the claw grabbed it by its neck and slammed it into the wall across the hall. The attack caused the troll to reel back into the middle of the hall. As it did, Raven brought her hand together in front of her chest. As she did so, an orb of the black energy formed, growing bigger as she concentrated on it.

"_Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" _she called, before holding her hand out in front of her, causing a beam of black energy to shoot out. The blast struck the troll in the chest and sent it flying down the hall. It struck the wall at the end of the hall hard before bursting through it. This sent the creature flying out of the castle, with the troll falling out of sight as it let out a deep cry, followed by a distant thud.

She turned around, breathing a little heavily, before she walked over to where the kids were huddled together.

"You guys okay?" she asked, a slight smile on her face.

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded, though they were still looked frightened.

"All right, we got to get you guys back to the tower," she said as the others approached.

"Here," Daimon said, reaching down towards Misty, "I'll take her,"

Hermione nodded quietly and shifted her friend over to Daimon, who picked her up, bridal-style.

"Blue, can you take Tim?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes, master," the demon responded, before bending down and picking Tim up.

"Come on, Harry," Raven said, helping him to his feet.

The older students lead the children through the castle, the sound of battles fading away. They reached the changing staircase and began leading them up to the tower. Suddenly an echoing roar came from one of the doorways as a group of trolls came barreling into the stairwell. Raven eyes widened in horror before she turned to the others.

"Daimon! You and Blue get the kids to the Tower, we'll hold them back!" she ordered. Daimon nodded before turning to the kids.

"Come on, stay close," he said as he turned and ran up one of the moving staircases.

They quickly bounded up the stairs, Harry breathing heavily from all the running he had been doing. His head whipped around when a loud roar came from behind them, closer then Harry felt comfortable with. Turning around, he saw yet another pair of trolls emerged from a door behind them. Daimon noticed as well, fear showing on his face.

"Run!" he shouted as he rushed up the stairs, Hermione and Ron right on his tail. Harry, who had been bringing up the rear scrambled up the stairs, Blue running in front of him. Harry made the mistake of looking back, and saw the two trolls rushing after them, their eyes full of rage, and droll spraying from their open mouths. It was at this point, that he tripped on the stairs.

The world seemed to move in slow motion, as he fell to his knees. He hissed in pain as he banged his shin against the hard stone. The roar of the trolls behind him quickly made him forget about his pain and he began to scramble frantically up the stairs. But he wasn't quick enough.

The troll brought its club down on the stairs, right near Harry. The force knocked Harry to the side, into the banister. He groaned in pain as the troll roared in fury, lifting its club above its head again.

Harry screamed in terror, holding his hands in front of him in a desperate attempt to protect himself. Suddenly, he felt someone grab the back of his cloak and haul him upwards. Before he knew it, Harry was sailing through the air, flying across the room to another one of the staircases. He hit the stone steps with a thud and a grunt of pain. He rolled down a few steps and smashed into the railing, causing his shoulder to scream in pain.

"Get up and run, boy!" he heard Blue yell at him, Harry's pain filled head deducing that he was the one who threw him. As Harry slowly rose to his hands and knees, he felt the staircase move below him. Looking up, he saw the staircase was shifting, swinging around until it connected to a lower landing. One which the other member of the troll pair was standing on.

"Bugger," Harry whispered to himself in a frightened voice.

The troll roared in fury as Harry screamed and started to scramble up the stairs, the sound of the troll thundering up the stairs behind him.

"Run Harry!" he heard a voice yell, possibly Hermione's. Scrambling to his feet as he reached the landing he rushed through the doorway into a hall, the troll still charging after him.

As he ran through the doorway, a feeling of exhilaration rushed through him as he realized that this was the hallway that led to Gryffindor tower. Now all he had to do was outrun the troll and-

Harry felt his heart sink as he rounded the corner. There, standing in front of the Fat Lady's portrait was another troll. The monster was banging on the Lady's picture, trying to break through as the portrait screamed in terror. Then, giving a sniff of the air, the troll turned, its hate filled eyes meeting with Harry's frightened ones.

Harry screamed before turning and sprinting back the way he came. Just as he turned the corner, the other troll burst through the doorway, sending debris flying everywhere. Harry stumbled backwards with a yell, before he quickly crawled backwards into a corner. Harry trembled in fear, as he held up his arms in a futile attempt to defend himself.

One of the trolls let out a roar of furry as it raised its club to squash Harry. Right before it swung however, it stopped, its ear twitching. Looking to its side, it only had enough time to widen its eyes in surprises before a figure slammed into its head. The troll screamed in pain as the figure clawed its face. The cries turned into gurgles, a sound that Harry feared would haunt his dreams. The troll fell backwards, crashing to the floor with a loud thud, the figure standing on its chest triumphantly. As the figure glanced back, Harry recognized who it was. The scarecrow.

He grinned back at Harry and the troll (Harry wasn't sure which) contorting itself in a way that looked highly uncomfortable. His fingers had extended into wicked looking claws, which dripped with a mixture of paint and blood. The troll looked anxious, trying to decide whether to attack the scarecrow or flee from him. The scarecrow didn't give it the opportunity to decide.

The scarecrow held up his hand before snapping his long fingers. As soon as he did, a loud noise came from the direction of his painting. It sounded to Harry like a great number of birds approaching. The sound grew louder and louder until a giant flock of crows flew out of the painting. They swarmed the troll, who flailed in pain and panic. In seconds, the troll had become completely engulfed by the black birds, appearing only as a shifting, black blob. Then just as suddenly as they had attacked, the birds scattered, revealing the troll had completely disappeared. As the crows continued to fly around, the scarecrow approached him, the crows seeming to flow around him.

He stalked over to where Harry sat, his walk loose and fluid, as if he didn't posses a skeleton. Harry tried to back away, but quickly realized he was still in a corner, and thus could do nothing but tremble as the scarecrow approached. As the scarecrow stood before him, Harry realized how tall he was, standing at least six and a half feet. The scarecrow leaned down, his face inches from Harry's and his knees even with his head, giving the scarecrow a spider-like appearance. The two stared at each other for a few silent moments, Harry shaking and the scarecrow smiling.

"Wh-Who are you?" Harry managed to ask after a few moments.

The scarecrow's smile seemed to grow even wider. Holding up a finger, he turned his head away. There was a zipping sound, and the scarecrow turned around, his mouth now unsown. He liked his burlap lips with a long black tongue and cleared his throat, before doing the last thing Harry expected.

He started to sing.

"_There are few who'd deny at what I do I am the best, for my talents are renowned far and wide," _he sang as he placed his hand to his chest in a show of pride.

"_When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night, I excel without ever even trying,_" he stood up and spread his arm above his head, walking away from Harry.

"_With the slightest little effort of my ghost-like charms, I have seen grown men give out a shriek,_" he turned around before walking back towards Harry.

"_With a wave of my hand, and a well-placed moan, I have swept the very bravest from their feet!_" he sang as he picked up Harry by the back of his shirt so he could look him in the eye, before unceremoniously dropping him.

"_I'm a master of fright, and a demon on light, and I'll scare you right out of your pants,_" he bragged, poking Harry in the chest with one of his claws.

"_To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mister Unlucky, and I'm known throughout England and France,_" he sang, spreading his arms wide for additional effect.

"_And since I am dead, I can take off my head, to recite Shakespearean quotations,_" he said, as he removed his head with a wet pop, holding it aloft with one hand and placing the other against his chest. He then quickly rolled it down his arm, and it automatically reconnected with his neck as it rolled over his shoulder.

"_No animal or man, can scream like I can! With the fury of my recitations,_" he shouted as he got right in Harry's face, before standing upright, throwing his arms up and his head back in triumph.

"_But it must be such a drag, to hear me boast and brag, though I've been called my own number one fan,_" he sang with a shrug.

"_So without further ado, I'll just say howdy do, and that my name is the Straw Man,_" he said as he doffed his hat. Harry immediately wished he hadn't as beneath Straw Man's hat was a festering knot of worms and insects. Harry's gasp of surprise made the Straw Man stand up quickly and replace his hat, pulling it snuggly on his head.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Potter," Straw Man said. Harry noticed that Straw Man had a surprisingly smooth voice.

"You're…not going to kill me?" Harry asked, slightly confused.

"Quite the contrary. Last I checked, I believe I just saved you," Straw Man grinned.

"So why have you been scaring me these past few weeks?" Harry asked, crossing his arms.

"What part of "Master of Fright," didn't you understand?" he asked, leaning in close to Harry again. His breath smelt like hay.

"So you did it for the fun of it?" Harry demanded, his anger rising.

"Of course!" Straw Man replied, throwing his head back and laughing, before he turned back to Harry.

"Now, come along, it's time I ended this fight, and Raven would burn me alive if I let you out of my sight," he said as he picked Harry up and flung him over his shoulder.

"Wait, you know-AHHHH!!!" Harry was interrupted when Straw Man leaped back into his painting. The world became a swirling tunnel of color and shadow. The sight was so disorienting that Harry was forced to close his eyes, or he was afraid his head would explode.

A second later, Harry felt as if he was falling, before they felt a jolt and heard a thud. Opening his eyes, Harry found himself in the Grand Hall. The normally vibrant hall was now completely abandoned, the remains of food still on the tables. A dead troll lay between two of the tables, near the door. Glancing up, Harry could see a multi-colored hole slowly closing in the ceiling above them.

"What are we doing here?" Harry asked as Straw Man put him down.

"The last of the trolls are coming here," the Straw Man explained.

"How do you know?" Harry questioned.

"On our way here, I possessed all the paintings in the castle, and more or less told them too," he said with a shrug.

"You what!?" Harry cried as the doors suddenly burst open and three trolls rushed in, snarling in fury.

"Only three?" Straw Man asked, sounding almost insulted, "Seems this will be easier then I thought."

Straw Man reached his hand into the air, as the cawing of a crow caught Harry's attention. A crow lazily floated down from the ceiling before landing in the Straw Man's hand. It was instantly enveloped in a black, ink-like substance, but offered no resistance. The ink grew and changed in shape, before it solidified again. Now, the Straw Man held a large scythe in his hand. The handle was pitch black, along with the blade. The blade was designed to look like a crow's beak, with the handle at the back of the blade was designed to resemble a bird's plumage.

Straw Man turned and smiled at Harry, "Now stay here, Mr. Potter, and don't blink."

Harry didn't blink, but he still felt like he missed it. One second, Straw Man was standing in front of him, the next he was across the hall. The three trolls had long gashes across their chests. They stood there, stock still for a few seconds before they all burst, their forms dissolving into puddles of ink.

With a flick of his wrist, the scythe changed back a crow, which cawed once and settled onto Straw Man's shoulder.

"Wow," Harry said as he walked over to Straw Man, "That was incredible,"

"I do what I can," Straw Man replied with a grin.

As Straw Man talked, Harry heard the sound of approaching footsteps and voices.

"Quickly, they went this way!" The voice of Professor McGonagall cried, as she rounded the corner, accompanied by Raven and Professor Dumbledore.

As soon as she entered, McGonagall slid to a stop, her eyes sweeping the room in shock before falling on Straw Man.

"Evening Professor," he greeted, tilting his hat, causing droplets of paint to flick off.

"Who in Merlin's name are you!?" she demanded.

"Well…" Straw Man began, and Harry realized he was going to sing again. He quickly elbowed Straw Man in the gut. It shut the scarecrow up, though Harry could tell he didn't actually knock the wind out of him.

"Straw Man!" Raven shouted as she approached him, "I told you, you were supposed to protect Harry!"

Straw Man looked at Harry with a blank expression, before turning back to her.

"I did," he stated, sounding confused.

"When I told you that, that didn't mean drag him into the middle of a war zone so you could see more action!" she seethed.

Straw Man scratched his head before shrugging.

"You never said I couldn't"

Raven threw her arms up in aggravation as Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Yes, well, the important thing is that Harry is safe and sound after such a harrowing ordeal," Dumbledore stated.

"One he wouldn't have had to worry about if he had just followed instructions!" McGonagall pointed out, angrily.

"Someone had to save Hermione and Misty!" Harry defended.

"As noble as your intentions were, Harry, they were still rash, and put you and your friends in grave danger. But we will have to settle that matter another time. Right now, we have more pressing concerns. Raven?" Dumbledore turned towards the teenage girl.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked.

"Hogwarts has been attacked and I need to know why," he stated, his face hard and his eyes cold, "I need you to contact your father."

A/N: Wow, this must be some kind of record. Got this new chapter done in a week, and it's not exactly, wicked short either. As you can see, I spiced up the Halloween event a bit, and the repercussions are going to be large. This is defiantly where this story diverges from canon, and I have some more surprises in store for you guys. I'd love to hear comments about the character's fighting styles, as I came up with a lot of them from scratch, or based off of other ideas and characters.

Also, I finally formally introduce the scarecrow you've all been wondering about. He's an obscure Marvel character who I stumbled upon one night and thought really fit the theme of the story. Also for those not in the know, his song and dance number is based off of "Jack's Lament" from the Nightmare before Christmas, edited to better fit the situation. It's also where the chapter title comes from.

As for next chapter, Hellboy and the BPRD make their triumphant return, along with some new faces. If I'm lucky, I'll get this one done in a week too!

Until then, Later True Believers!


	6. Into the Forest

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 6: Into the Forest**

_November 3__rd_

Albus Dumbledore had never been prone to migraines. But now as he sat at his desk, he felt a large one forming directly behind his eyes. He thought of visiting the infirmary, but he knew that Madam Pomfery had her hands full with all the injuries various students and faculty members had sustained on Halloween night just a few days ago. So he sat at his desk, rubbing his head as Fawks and the paintings of former headmasters looked on.

A knock on the door drew Dumbledore's attention back to reality. He was surprised that someone had gotten to his door without him noticing. Maybe he would visit the infirmary.

"Come in," he said.

The door opened and a grey haired man with a cane walked in. Dumbledore smiled as his favorite Muggle entered the room.

"Professor Buttenholm," Dumbledore nodded at him with a smile.

"Professor Dumbledore," he replied with a smile.

Dumbledore stood up and walked around his desk, before enveloping the other man in a hug.

"It does me good to see you, Trevor," he said with a smile.

"Me as well, Albus," Professor Buttenholm replied.

"I only wish we could have met again under better circumstances," Albus said with a sigh as he pulled away.

"Indeed, I must say that when I got my granddaughter's message, I was completely shocked," Trevor said with a concerned voice, "Do you know how so many got in, or where they came from?"

"We have some leads, but if you don't mind, I'd like to discuss them with your son and his team so that we can get to the bottom of this quickly," Albus explained.

"Very well," Trevor agreed as the two of them made their way out of the office and out into the hallways of the castle.

As they made their way down to the Great Hall, Trevor couldn't help but notice that the castle was largely empty, despite the fact that school should be in session.

"Under the circumstances," Dumbledore said abruptly, "I couldn't keep the school in session. I sent the students home for a long holiday, while damages are repaired and we figure out what happened. The only students still here are those in the infirmary. I've told you how Poppy can be when it comes to her patients."

"Reading my mind again?" Trevor said with a smile.

"My apologizes, but you were practically broadcasting the thought," Dumbledore said with a smirk.

Trevor chuckled as he and his friend made their way through the castle.

_Meanwhile, _

Raven and her friends sat around the empty and damaged Great Hall, along with Straw Man, who was entertaining himself by playing with Quoth. They had stayed behind after the other students due to their involvement with the Halloween attack.

As they sat around talking to each other, the door to the Hall opened. Raven smiled and hopped to her feet as her father walked into the room.

"Hey, kiddo," Hellboy said with a grin as he walked up, a group of others walking behind him.

"Hey, Dad," she replied as she threw her arms around him.

"Long time, no see," another voice said. Looking up, she smiled as she saw John Constantine standing next to Hellboy, lighting a cigarette.

"It's only been a couple a months," she replied as she hugged him.

"Yeah Uncle John, when did you become such a softy," Gemma said as she came over and hugged the blond man as well.

"Hey!" John said indignantly, "I ain't no softy!"

"Just keep telling yourself that, John," Zatanna said as she walked up behind him and leaned on his shoulder.

Raven smiled as she looked over the rest of the group.

"Uncle Abe decided to sit this one out?" she asked.

"Indeed," the familiar voice of Bobo said as he walked over, before jumping onto one of the table tops. "The Professor has him researching an interesting legend he came across. I would be assisting him if the Professor didn't believe that my deductive skills would be put to better use here."

"Zhe same for me," a new voice said. Among the group was a man dressed in what resembled a diving suit. The material appeared rubbery with a tan color, along with black boots and gloves. The B.P.R.D symbol was stitched into the arm. The helmet was largely a clear globe, which seemed to contain a smoky white substance. The helmet had various valves along the bottom.

"Well, Johann, it does make investigations easier when you can speak to any witness, living or dead," Bobo explained.

"Zhat is true," Johann replied.

"I can already guess why I'm here," another voice stated. The man was a burly man, with wild, brown hair, and piercing brown eyes. He wore tough clothing, with coarse black banks, and a heavy jacket with the B.P.R.D symbol stitched in the arm along with work boots.

"No doubt Jack, though I'm sure even Johann could track these trolls for miles," Jason Blood said, as he leaned against one of the tables, sniffing with disdain.

Raven chuckled, before her eyes drifted over to the door, where the last member of the group stood, leaning against the wall and staring off into space. He was large, standing seven feet tall and built like a tank. His head was flatter then normal, and covered with black hair. His eyes were dark brown and cold. His skin had a grayish-green hue to it and was covered with surgical stitches. He wore a black shirt, under a long blue coat, along with black pants and combat boots. A three foot long sword was strapped to his back and a large gun, much like her father's, hung from his belt. Two small bolts stuck out of either side of his neck.

"That the new guy?" she whispered to Hellboy.

"Yeah, that's him. Calls himself Viktor," Hellboy answered, glancing over his shoulder, "Not the friendliest guy around."

"So he's…?"

"The monster? Yeah, and not any knock off like some others we've seen. All evidence says that he's the original," Hellboy said.

"The real Frankenstein monster," Raven whispered in awe.

Just then, the doors opened and the professors Dumbledore and Buttenholm walked in. They walked over to where the group was standing. Raven smiled as she walked up and hugged her grandfather.

"Good to see you are uninjured, my dear," he said, kindly.

"Come on, Grandpa. Me and my friends can handle a few trolls," she said with a shrug.

"Indeed, but what I'm afraid of is that we are dealing with more than just a few trolls," Dumbledore stated.

"Yes, it seems we face two problems here," Bobo said, holding up two fingers for emphasis, "One being that the kind of force and organization involved in this attack is apparently unprecedented among trolls. The other, is that these trolls got past the large number of enchantments that protect this castle."

"Yes, and that is precisely why I called you all here," Dumbledore continued, "Both of these problems present immediate threats to the safety of the students and Hogwarts as a whole. As such they must be dealt with as swiftly as possible."

"We'll send a team into the Forbidden Forest to find exactly where these trolls came from," Professor Buttenholm explained, "As for myself, Johann and the detective here, we will remain with the faculty and attempt to discover how the trolls entered the school in the first place."

"We'll help to," Raven said as she stepped forward, her friends stepping up behind her.

"Like hell you will," Hellboy said, his eyes narrowing.

"Dad, come on! We handled these trolls when they came to attack the castle just fine. Besides it's not like we won't just follow you if you say no," she pointed out with a grin.

"Fine," Hellboy relented, "But you and your friends will stick close to us, got it?"

"Got it."

"So first, ve must interrogate zhe suspect," Johann stated, "Vhere are you keeping zhe body?"

"Follow me," Dumbledore said as he led them out the door.

"So how are those little friends you were telling me about in your letters?" Hellboy asked.

"They got caught up in the battle. Two of them, Tim and Misty, ended up hurt," Raven explained.

"Misty? Wasn't she the odd girl you were telling us about?" Hellboy asked.

"Yeah, and because she got hurt we finally figured out what she was hiding," she said with a sigh, "She's a Sheeda."

"A Sheeda?" Jason asked, stopping in his tracks.

"Oh God, Uncle Jason, I forgot about your history with Morgan and the Sheeda," she apologized.

"I'm not the only one," he said ominously as he looked over the group.

Hellboy followed suit as his eyes narrowed dangerously, "Where's Viktor?"

_The infirmary_

Ron stood outside the infirmary, staring at the closed doors, working up the courage to go in. Or back in, as the case may be. Why was he being such a chicken? He had just been in there. Madam Pomfrey had kept him under observation for the past few days.

They were the most awkward few days of his young life. Luckily, he hadn't been placed right next to Misty during his stay, but he still couldn't help but alternate between staring at her and hiding while thinking of bolting from the room. It certainly didn't help that she had been unconscious half the time, and thus stuck in her true, Sheeda form.

Sheeda. A name that made Ron shudder. He had grown up on tales of Merlin, the greatest wizard Britain had ever known. And those tales would be nothing without his opposite number, Morgan le Fey, and her loyal servants, the Dark Fairy. He had been told of how horrible they were and their role in the fall of Camelot.

But Misty was nothing like the Sheeda he had heard about in the stories. She was kind and friendly. She cared deeply about her friends, enough to slap him for being such a jerk. He grinned slightly as he brought his hand up to his cheek. If she hadn't done that, he probably wouldn't have known he was even being a jerk.

Like he was being now, he realized. Just because he had heard of all the things the Sheeda had done, it didn't change what he knew about Misty. And this must have been what she was afraid of, why she had never told them about what she was. She was worried about them judging her for what she was, instead of who she was.

Ron smiled, feeling quite proud of himself. He had figured it all out, all by himself. That'll show Hermione for calling him dense. Now all he had to do is talk to Misty. Holding his head high, Ron marched through the doors and back into the infirmary.

"Back already, Mr. Weasley?" Madam Pomfrey asked, "I trust you haven't hurt yourself again."

"No, I just felt like waiting for my parents with my friends," Ron explained.

Pomfrey nodded as Ron moved to where his friends were. Misty, in her human form, lay between Harry and Hermione. Tim lay on the other side of the room, next to the bed Ron had been in.

"Hey guys," he said awkwardly, as he stood before them.

"Uh, hey Ron," Harry said, nervously as he glanced at Misty.

"Misty, I wanted to talk to you," he said, looking at his feet.

"Um, what about, Ron?" she asked, looking at her hands, folded in her lap.

"I think you know," he said solemnly.

"Look Ron, I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore," she said, tears gathering in her eyes.

"That's not it," Ron said, shaking his head, "I came here to apologize to you."

"Apologize?" she asked, looking up with surprise.

"Yeah, I was a jerk. I saw you just as…a Sheeda. I forgot you were my friend," he said, before looking up and smiling at her, "and who you are is a lot more important then what you are."

Before he knew it, Misty had thrown her arms around him, hugging him tightly as she kneeled in her bed. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the hug as she sobbed into her shoulder. He looked at the others, who smiled happily at them. Ron smiled in return.

There was a loud bang as the doors flew open. They all turned to look at the doorway, shocked expressions on their faces. There stood a massive monster of a man, his skin green and covered in scars and bolts sticking out of his neck. A large sword was strapped to his back and a gun on his hip.

"What in Merlin's name!?" Madam Pomfrey screamed as she rushed over to the man, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Where is the Sheeda?" he demanded, lowering himself to stare Pomfrey in the eye.

A piercing scream cut through the air as Misty wailed in horror. She clung to Ron desperately as she stared at the man with palpable terror. The monster's glare settled on her, before he straightened up, and struck Madam Pomfrey to the side with a backhand, sending her crashing into one of the beds. The others screamed with terror as they gathered together for protection.

The monster approached them slowly, his boots clunking across the ground. He reached behind him and drew his large sword, the sound of it unsheathing deafening in their ears.

"Your false face doesn't fool me, Sheeda," he spat as he approached them.

"Please, you can't be as bad as the stories say! You don't have to do this!! I haven't done anything wrong!!" she wailed.

"You are Sheeda," the monster said as it raised the sword above his head, "That is all that matters."

Misty screamed as the monster swung its sword at her. With his arms still wrapped around her, Ron lifted Misty up and swung her out of the way. The sword cleaved the bed clean half. The weight of the girl and the sudden movement knocked Ron off balance and they both tumbled to the ground.

The monster roared again, and rushed after them with his sword. Ron pushed Misty to the side as the blade came down, while he rolled the other way. The sword clanged against the hard stone, leaving a deep gash in the floor.

As Ron rolled, he drew his wand. Pointing it at the monster, he twirled it in his hand.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!" _he called.

The sword jerked out of the monster's hands before floating to the ceiling. The monster growled as it watched, before he drew his gun at pointed it at Ron.

"Any who aid the Sheeda, will share in their fate," he growled as he glared down at Ron.

He pulled the trigger, but before the bullet left the chamber, the gun was knocked out of the way. Standing before him, with his hand around the monster's wrist like a vice grip, was the Straw Man. His burlap face was pulled down in a sneer, as black paint oozed down Viktor's arm. As Viktor tried to pull free, Straw Man lifted his leg and kicked him in the chest, sending the monster flying across the room, the gun falling from his hand.

As Viktor pulled himself to his knees, he was suddenly yanked to his feet. He glared as he found himself face to face with Etrigan.

"_This is not why we are here! Now you've forced me to interfere!_" Etrigan shouted.

Misty's scream cut through the air again as she hugged Hermione desperately.

"Not both of them!" she moaned, "This isn't happening! Not _both _of them!"

"I'm not the only one with a history with the Sheeda," Viktor growled, "_Sir_ Jason,"

Etrigan growled in fury as he pulled his arm back to throw a punch.

"_Stupify_!" a voice cried right before Etrigan struck. A red flash appeared behind Viktor, before he slumped over in Etrigan's arms, unconscious. Looking past him, Etrigan saw Madam Pomfrey standing with her wand pointed at Viktor.

"Will you please get that _thing_ out of my infirmary!" she shouted, her eyes wide and crazed.

Etrigan nodded, before throwing Viktor's limp form over his shoulder and walking out of the infirmary. At the same time, Straw Man turned to where the kids were, Misty still grasping onto Hermione desperately.

"Hey," he said, the burlap face twisting in concern, "Are you alright?"

"Etrigan. Frankenstein. Both here. This isn't happening. Mom was right. They found me," she rambled.

"What's wrong with her?" Hermione asked desperately.

"She's afraid, deeply so. Her fears of those two men are deeply seeded within her," Straw Man explained as he looked at Misty analytically.

"Both of them?" Harry asked, "Why is she afraid of that demon guy? He was scary looking but he helped save her."

"You'll have to ask her. I just sense fears, I'm not a mind reader," he explained as he looked at Misty.

"Here," Madam Pomfrey said as she bustled over, "let me get her back to bed and I'll give her something for her nerves."

"No, I'll handle this," he said as he cupped Misty's face, staring into her eyes. After a moment, he placed his hand in front of her mouth. She let out a gasp before black smoke floated out her mouth. Straw Man quickly grasped the smoke, before crushing it in his hand, absorbing it into his body.

Misty's eyes fluttered before she slumped in Hermione's arms. With the help of Madam Pomfrey, they moved her into a bed, where she began to doze lightly.

"What did you do?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"What I was born to do. I fed on her fears," Straw Man he replied.

They all stared at him for a few long moments before Straw Man scratched his head.

"It sounds a lot worse than it is," he explained, indicating to the now peaceful looking Misty.

"Well it seems like it helped, but I'd feel better if you let me handle the patients from now on," Madam Pomfrey requested.

"Will do," Straw Man responded with a nod.

_Meanwhile,_

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!?!" Hellboy bellowed. The group was now gathered in a large room where one of the troll bodies was being kept. Along with the B.P.R.D. and Raven's group of friends, the Hogwarts faculty had also gathered to discuss the troll attack. But that had come to a screeching halt when Viktor was hauled in after having attacked some of the students.

"I was continuing my mission," Viktor replied solemnly.

"By attacking a little girl!?" Hellboy roared.

"She is a Sheeda, that is all that matters," Viktor statd, dismissively.

"Wait. Let me get this straight. The Frankenstein monster is judging a person by what they look like? If that's not irony, I don't know what is," Hellboy replied with disgust in his voice.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand," Viktor snarled.

"Oh, I understand. You're a prejudicial psycho. A guy with a grudge and a gun. Now, I put my ass on the line to help get you on this team, but if you pull something like this again, we'll do what Manning wanted and have you locked up where no one will ever find you again. Got it?" Hellboy growled.

"…Yes," Viktor replied, refusing to make eye contact.

"Good," Hellboy spat, before turning to the group, "So Johann, are you going to do your thing or what?"

"Yes, of course," Johann replied as he turned to where the troll lay. Walking up to the body, he held his hand above the troll's face. Reaching with his other hand, he lifted a hinge on one of his finger tips. A white mist leaked out of the now open glove, slowly floating down to the troll's face. There was a quite wooshing noise as the mist flowed into the troll's nose and mouth. Johann closed his glove as the troll let out a gasp for air.

The troll slowly lifted its head up, looking around the room. It growled and tried to move, but the rest of its body was apparently immobilized.

"Nien, ve'll have none of zhat," Johann said, shaking his finger at the troll.

"So, how exactly does this work?" Professor Sprout whispered to Professor McGonagall.

"Albus tells me that Mr. Kraus is a Muggle psychic, who has an ability called teleplasty. It lets him control inanimate object, including the dead," McGonagall explained.

"Oh. How…unpleasant," Sprout said with a small shiver.

"Now, let's get down to zhe brass tacks, shall ve?" Johann said, as he folded his hands behind his back.

"Vhy did you attack zhe school?" he demanded. The troll growled at him, before it twitched violently.

"Let's try zhat again," he said as he leaned down, "Vhy did you attack zhe school?"

The troll growled before grunting a few noises.

"He says zhat his king made an alliance viz a vizard," Johann translated.

"King?" Quirrell questioned, "T-Trolls have no k-kings."

"Vhat king are you talking about?" Johann asked the troll.

The troll grunted some more, smiling as he did so.

"Our king. Zhe new king. Zhe great king. Zhe Troll King," Johann translated.

"Why did this king make a deal with this wizard?" Dumbledore asked.

The troll grunted a few more times after Johann translated.

"He says zhat zhe vizard vhated somezhing in zhe school. Once he had it, zhe trolls could keep zhe castle for zhemselves."

"Where is the king now?" Trevor asked.

At the question, the troll began to laugh as it grunted a few times, before it coughed and its head fell back, the white mist leaking out its mouth. Johann unscrewed his finger again, letting the mist back into his suit.

"He said zhe king is in your voods. Your own voods, and you didn't even know. He'll come back and he'll kill you all. Long live zhe king," Johann said, solemnly.

A silence fell over the gathered group.

"Well," John said after a moment, "and here I was worried it would be a long hike."

_Later_

At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Hellboy gathered his group and prepared to enter the forest. With him were John, Zatanna, Etrigan, Viktor, and Jack, along with Raven and her friends. In addition to them, Hagrid and Charlie stood to the side, prepared to enter the forest.

"You all ready?" Hellboy asked the group.

"Hold on a second!" a voice called out. Turning, the group saw Filch making his way down to the forest, a rifle strapped to his back and a shotgun in his hands.

"Well, look who it is," John said with a smile, walking to meet Filch as he walked down, "You telling me you still haven't died in some forgotten corner of the castle, Filch?"

"No, but I know a few I could leave you, Constantine, just like I should a done all them years ago," Filch responded, glaring at John, who returned the seething look.

They stared at each other for a few moments, before both cracked up laughing and embraced the other.

"Good to see ya, John," Filch said with a smile.

"You to, old man," John replied, friendly, "You keeping an eye on my niece?"

"When I have one to spare. Just like you she is. Always getting into trouble," Filch chuckled.

"Hey," Gemma said indignantly as she walked over, "I'm not always getting into trouble."

"Well if you're anything like me, that's a bold face lie," John replied with a grin.

"What can I say, I've learned from the best," she grinned back.

"That ya have, girly," Filch chuckled, "That ya have."

"We ready to roll?" Hellboy asked.

Gemma and John smiled at each other, before drawing their weapons, and falling into step behind Filch as he walked forward.

"Locked and loaded," Filch answered, cocking his shotgun for emphasis and flashing a dangerous smile.

A/N: Well short chapter that took longer than it should have to get out. Blame my school work, end of the year crunch and all that. Also, got to reintroduce the B.P.R.D! I have to say, in the past, the chapters involving them have been my favorites to write, and these next ones look to be no different. It's especially fun to add new members each time they show up.

Also, that little scene with Filch came from the idea of where did John get his guns to begin with. This evolved into the idea that Filch makes magic guns (someone else enchants them of course). How else is a Squib to protect himself in the rather dangerous Wizarding world? The idea also spawned from the fact that Filch's actor in the movies also appears in Hot Fuzz as a farmer with a massive gun collection. Just seemed to fit

Expect some good action next chapter, as well as some new revelations to go with it! In the meantime, please review! Later, True Believers!


	7. The Troll King

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 7: The Troll King**

The group marched through the forest, Jack in the lead. Jack was sniffing the air and was walking low to the ground, almost like a tracking dog or a wolf. The others followed behind, their various weapons drawn.

"We heading the right way, Jack?" Hellboy asked.

"Oh yeah," he replied, sniffing the air, before sticking his tongue out in disgust, "I think if we get any closer, I'll start gagging."

As they continued walking, Jack suddenly stopped and held up his hand, silently ordering the others to stop. The others froze stock still as they looked around for any sign of a threat. Jack raised his nose into the air and took a few quick sniffs before turning his head to the side. He held his hand up to tell the others to stay where they were, before darting into the brush.

With amazing grace, Jack leaped up onto the trunk of a tree and crawled up it, before bounding through the trees. He silently landed on a tree branch. Below him was a troll armed with an appropriately sized spear. It sat on a large rock, eating the remains of a unicorn.

Jack began to growl as his features shifted. His teeth grew long and pointed, as did his nails. As the same time, brown hair grew all across his body and his ears became pointed. He let out a loud growl as he hopped down from the branch.

The troll looked up at the noise, just in time to have its throat slit by Jack's claws. The trolls gurgled in pain as it held its bleeding wound. The troll twitched for a few seconds before it slid of the rock and fell dead to the ground.

Jack whistled, signaling the others to come to him. They emerged from the brush, and some of them gasped at what they saw.

"Guess we're getting close," Hellboy said as he looked at the troll's body.

"Oh my god, was it eating that unicorn?" Gemma said, holding her hands over her mouth in shock.

"Aye, 'at's a terrible shame," Hagrid commented as he examined the corpse, "'ese trolls are righ' bastards, doin' some'in' like 'is."

"Should only be a little while longer until we reach their camp," Jack growled, sniffing the air.

The group started to walk forward before Jack threw his arm back up again.

"We got company," he said, looking to his side into the brush.

The others grew tense as rustling came from the direction Jack indicated. Seconds later, a centaur burst through the foliage. The group let out a sigh of relief as the centaur looked around in a puzzled manner. He had wavy blond hair and sharp blue eyes. He had a muscular chest and the body of a brown horse. A quiver was strapped around his back and a bow in his hands.

"Firenze?" Charlie asked, a furry eyebrow cocked, "What are you doing out here?"

"My herd learned of this tribe of trolls' movements a short while ago. We've been sending scouts through the in order to watch them and make sure they stay off of our land. Why are all of you here?" the centaur asked.

"Hogwarts was attacked," Charlie replied.

"My word," Firenze said with obvious shock, "I hadn't heard. You'll have my assistance in whatever endeavor you're on."

"You know where they are?" John asked.

"Just a few minutes trot in that direction," he replied, pointing in a direction.

"Let's get going," Hellboy said as he headed into the brush.

As they moved through the forest, Raven and Wanda walked behind Firenze. As they did, Raven glanced over, and saw Wanda adjusting her hair, while she blushed slightly.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked with a smirk.

"It's been…awhile since I've seen him," Wanda replied with a small giggle.

"Still got it bad, huh?" Raven chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"You got to admit, he's really cute," Wanda whispered.

"Yeah," Raven replied drolly, eyeing Firenze's horse posterior, "cute."

After a few minutes, they came to the edge of the woods. Beyond it was a rather large settlement. Large wooden buildings were set up all around the area, built haphazardly with various logs. The largest building was in the center of the small settlement, standing at least two stories above the rest. The settlement was surrounded by a wall of sharpened logs. Trolls could be seen wandering around the settlement, doing various tasks.

"Well I can guess where their King is," Zatanna stated.

"So what's the plan?" Jason asked.

"I say we go down there and raise some hell," Filch answered, fidgeting with his gun.

"Honestly, that may be our best option," Hellboy said, "If we hit them hard and fast, we can keep them off balance and take the troll's out quickly. Then we can take care of the "king" of theirs. So this is what we're going to do…"

_Later_

In the settlement, a troll was lugging a log behind it. As he walked, he crossed paths with another troll that was dragging the corpse of a large spider. The troll grunted at the other in greeting, the other answering in turn.

Suddenly, there was a large bang before the side of the other troll's head exploded. It swayed on its feet before falling to the side, blood pooling around its head. The troll's eyes widened in surprise before it turned to face the direction the shot had come from. As it did, it was skewered by one of the large pointed logs that surrounded the village. It fell onto its back and its head rolled to the side.

"Nice shot, Hagrid," John said, standing next where the large man had pulled one of the logs out of the ground.

"You too, Filch!" He called back to the tree line, where Filch waved back to him.

"Alright, let's go. Keep pushing until we reach the center!" Hellboy shouted, as he ran into the settlement.

As he entered, a troll ran around the corner of a building wielding a large club. Hellboy's eyes widened in surprise, before he dived to the side as the troll brought its club down on him. Rolling to his feet, Hellboy pointed the Samaritan at the troll and fired two shots, catching the troll in the stomach and shoulder. The troll doubled over in pain as it dropped its club. Hellboy ran forward, and uppercut the troll, sending it sprawling. As the troll lay on the ground, Hellboy quickly hopped onto its chest, pointed the Samaritan at its head, and pulled the trigger.

Etrigan rushed forward past Hellboy towards the center of the village. As he ran, he was intercepted by two trolls. Leaping into the air, he struck one of them hard in the face, sending it reeling backward. Etrigan flipped away and landed in front of the troll before holding his hands in front of him. They glowed with power before red and black fire burst from his hands. The troll screamed in pain as the flames burnt it, before it fell to the ground, completely engulfed.

Turning to the other, he dodged as the troll swung at him. Crouching, he cocked his fist back.

"_With strength and power possessed since my unholy birth, I now shall move the very earth!"_

He punched the earth with substantial force, causing the ground to shake. As his fist connected with the earth, a crack appeared in the ground and shot towards the troll. When it reached the troll, it exploded with pressurized force, causing rocks to shoot into the air and into the troll's flesh and knocked it off its feet. It cried with pain, before falling to the ground and stopped moving.

John and Gemma made their way through the settlement, ducking into an alley between two of the wood buildings. They took cover behind the wooden walls, their weapons at the ready. A troll ran by the alley and the two quickly rushed out of the alley, and fired at the troll's back. With a roar, the troll whirled around and swung at the two of them with a club. The two rolled out of the way, and ran in separate direction around the troll.

"Gemma! Light him up!" John yelled as he reloaded Godsmack. Gemma nodded as she pushed the buttons on her guns and cycled through her own ammo. When they were both on opposite sides of the troll, they fired their guns simultaneously. As soon as the bullets connected, they exploded, engulfing the troll in a fireball. It screamed in pain before it toppled to the ground, its body smoking.

Daimon let out a cry of excitement as he flipped over one of the buildings. Whirling his trident above his head, he dropped down on one of the trolls. The creature roared in surprise, but its cry was cut off when Daimon stabbed it in the neck. A nearby troll roared in fury as it swung its club at Daimon. Seeing it coming, Daimon flipped off the troll's shoulders, causing the other to hit the troll with its club and send it falling to the ground.

Landing gracefully, Daimon breathed a plume of fire, engulfing the troll in flames. The troll stumbled around in pain, completely on fire, before it collapsed onto one of structures, destroying the building and lighting the wood on fire.

With a crash, one of the structures collapsed as a troll was thrown through it. With a cry of fury, Viktor rushed through the remains, before leaping onto the troll's chest and stabbing it with his sword. Another troll rushed Viktor with a spear. Viktor rolled out of the way as the troll stabbed at him. The troll continued to attack him, and Viktor was forced to dodge and parry the troll's spear. Rolling beneath another strike, Viktor swung upwards with his sword, slicing the spear in two. Turning on his heel, Viktor drew his gun in a single, fluid motion, before pointing it at the troll and firing. The bullets struck the troll between the eyes and it fell over with a loud thud.

Zatanna ran between the poorly constructed buildings, two trolls hot on her heels. She quickly ducked around a corner while drawing her wand.

"_Kins otni eht htrae!_" she said as she waved her wand over herself. As soon as the spell was case, she sunk into the ground. The two trolls raced around the corner, they skidded to a stop, looking around wildly for where Zatanna had gone.

"_Dnah fo htrae!_" her voice called out from nowhere, "_Kcatta!_"

Suddenly, the earth surged upwards, forming the shape of a large hand. It reached out and grabbed one of the trolls, before lifting it into the air and slamming it into the ground, head first.

"_Edolpxe!_" Zatanna shouted. The hand began to glow with energy, before it exploded, sending debris flying and the other troll stumbling back. Zatanna reappeared, leaping from the center of the explosion.

"_Diffindo!_" she cried as she slashed with her wand, causing a cut to form in the troll's throat, sending blood flying as the monster fell to the ground.

As she landed, Zatanna kept running until she got out of the alley. As soon as she got out, she let out a cry of surprise and ducked as a troll flew past her. Zatanna watched as the troll rolled to a stop. Seconds later, Blue leapt over her head and rushed towards where the troll had fallen. As he approached, he leapt again before driving his knees into the trolls head, insuring it would stay down.

Before he had time to catch his breath, another troll charged Blue, roaring as it did so. Blue back flipped out of the way as the troll brought its club down on him. After dodging the attack, Blue grabbed the fallen trolls club, and hefted it with surprising ease. The troll swung at Blue again, who rolled out of the way. Righting himself, Blue swung the club at the troll, striking it in the arm. The troll roared in pain as its bones cracked, forcing it to drop its club. Rushing forward, Blue picked up that troll's club and slid around behind it. Swinging it, Blue hit the troll in the back of its legs, forcing it to its knees. Then it swung the other club and hit it in the back, forcing it to its hands and knees. Blue quickly hopped onto the troll's back, before banging the two clubs on either side of the troll's head, crushing it. Blue hopped off its back before rushing off as the troll fell to the ground.

Wanda ducked into one of the buildings as a troll stabbed at her with a large cutting knife. She he quickly whirled around and slammed her hands against the walls of the building. Her hands glowed red before the wall began to glow as well. The wall then burst outward, sending wooden shrapnel flying outwards. Thousands of splinters and wooden sharps stuck into the trolls flesh, causing it to let out a cry of pain before falling over.

Wanda made her way through the hole she had created. As she looked around, there was a loud crash as a troll burst through the ruins of the building she had just come from. She stumbled backwards as the troll lifted its fist above his head and prepared to crush her. Suddenly, an arrow flew from behind her and buried itself in the troll's arm. The troll cried in pain, as two more buried themselves into its torso. As the troll tried to pull the arrows out, another one hit it straight in the eye. Wanda looked behind her, and so Ferinze, another arrow already drawn.

"Wanda, get out of there!" he shouted.

Wanda nodded, but as she turned to run, she stopped. Turning around, she pointed her hands at the troll, her hands glowing with power. A second later, the arrows began to glow as well, before they exploded, blowing the troll to bits. The explosion knocked Wanda off her feet and sent her flying through the air. She cried out in surprise and shut her eyes as she prepared for the impact. Instead, she felt a pair of strong arms catch her. Opening her eyes, she found Firenze smiling down at her.

"That was quite impressive, Wanda," he complimented her with a smile, "You've grown quite powerful."

"T-Thanks," she replied with a blush.

Hagrid ducked a punch thrown at him by one of the trolls, before throwing one of his own at the creature's gut. As the troll doubled over, Hagrid uppercut it knocking the troll on its back. As Hagrid moved to finish the troll, it kicked him in the chest, sending the troll stumbling back into one of the structures, putting a hole in it. The troll got to its feet, before charging Hagrid. As it charged, Hagrid reached into the debris and grabbed a large piece of wood. He bashed the troll over the head as soon as it got close enough. The piece of wood shattered against the monster's head and sent it reeling back. While the troll recovered, Hagrid rushed forwards and jabbed the now jagged end of the wood into the troll, sending it falling to the ground.

As Hagrid recovered, another troll rushed at him with a club. Hagrid quickly ducked beneath the creature's wild swing. Pulling back, the troll swung downwards, but Hagrid managed to sidestep the attack. As the troll attempted to pull back again, Hagrid stomped on its club, knocking it from its hands, before backhanding the troll across the face, sending it reeling backwards. Hagrid rushed forward and tackled the troll to the ground. Grabbing its head, Hagrid struck the troll in the face multiple times, leaving it a bloody mess as he stepped away.

Jack and Charlie rushed into the center of the settlement, approaching the large central building. As they did, two trolls wielding spears rushed them. Jack dodged out of the way as one of the trolls stabbed at him, before he kicked the weapon's handle, knocking it into the other troll's spear and stopping it from stabbing Charlie. The troll roared before sweeping at Jack's legs with the spear. Jack dodged by leaping onto the handle as it swung by. With amazing balance, he ran up the handle before hoping onto the troll's shoulders and slicing it across the face with his claws. As the troll covered its now bleeding face, Jack swung around so he was straddling the troll's head. He reached down and dug his claws into the creature's neck, before slashing it as well. Jack leapt off the troll's back as it fell to the ground.

After the troll's weapon had been knocked away, Charlie charged it, tackling it to the ground. He let out a savage roar before raking his claws across the troll's chest. The troll screamed in pain before hitting Charlie on the side of the head with its meaty fist. Charlie rolled across the ground, shaking his now throbbing head. He recovered just in time to dodge another stab from the troll. Rearing up on his back legs, he slammed down on the spear's head, snapping it off. Before the troll could pull the broken weapon away, Charlie struck it with his paw, driving the back end of the shaft into the troll's throat. While the troll gagged in pain, Charlie charged at it, before swiping it across the stomach with his claws. The troll doubled over before falling to the ground, a pool of blood growing around it.

"We need to get down there," Raven said as she stood on the hill with Sebastian and Filch.

"Oh no, missy" Filch said as he took another shot with his rifle, "yer father told you to wait here and provide support, so how about you provide it?"

"Fine" Raven huffed, "Come on, Sebastian"

Sebastian nodded as he followed Raven over to the edge of a forest.

"Alright," Raven said as she stood next to a tree, "They want support, they got it. Let's hit that central building."

"Right," Sebastian agreed, nodding again, before walking to the other side of the tree.

They both held their hands up and pointed them at the tree. Their hands and eyes began to glow their respective colors.

"_Azorath, Metrion, Zinthos_!" they said in unison, as they lifted their arms up. The tree became engulfed in the two auras; the color's mixing and flowing around each other. They continued to lift their arms above their head, causing the tree to lift out of the ground, the dirt falling off its roots. Simultaneously, they stepped toward the settlement, before making throwing motions with their arms. This caused the tree to soar through the air, the auras dissipating as it went. It whistled through the air, before it slammed into the structure with a loud crash. The force of the blow knocked the roof of the building off, before the topmost floor collapsed on itself.

A dust cloud kicked up as the debris fell to the ground. The others had gathered around the structure, covering their faces to protect them from the dust kicked up.

"So, you think that Troll King is in there?" John asked, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Smells like it," Jack commented.

"The real question though is if he's going to come out," Hellboy stated.

Suddenly, the door to the building flew open and a figured stepped out. It was a human sized person, dressed in a long red robe. The robe was covered in stylized pictures of eyes, ranging from large to small with irises of every conceivable color. The hood of the robe was drawn up, obscuring the person's features. The hands that poked out of the sleeves were gray and clawed, each with a large slit running across the palms.

"I am Orikal, speaker of the Troll King Ulik Geirrodur. You are commanded to leave his lands or face your destruction at our hands," the person spoke in a low, masculine voice.

"Listen, ugly. You attacked Hogwarts, a wizarding school protected by the British government. We're a team from the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, a United Nations sanctioned organization, sent to eliminate you as a threat," Hellboy explained, pointing his finger at Orikal, "So you and your boss can either come with us, or we take you down. Hard."

"As you wish," Orikal replied solemnly, bowing his head.

Seconds later, the roof of the structure exploded as something shot out. It soared through the air for a few seconds before crashing to the ground between Orikal and the others, kicking up a large cloud of dust. As the dust cleared, another figure came into view. He was clearly a troll, though his skin was a brown hue and his head was covered in brown, spiky hair. He stood a head taller than other trolls, and he wore a green armored breastplate with matching armored pants. In one of his massive hands was a giant, silver colored spear, with an ornate spearhead. He held it so that the long handle was against his back. His hands were covered in fingerless gauntlets made of the same silver colored metal. He grinned manically at the others, his mouth filled with razor sharp teeth, and observed them all with beady, black eyes.

"So youz tha' onez that been messin' with me boyz?" he asked, smiling sadistically at them.

"And you must be the Troll King we keep hearing about," Hellboy replied.

"Tha' be me. Ulik Geirrodur, King o' da Trollz," he introduced himself, pointing his thumb at his chest.

"Well buddy, we're-" Hellboy began before Ulik held up his hand to stop him.

"I know who youz be. Heard yer gabbering after youz broke me house," he said before he whirled his spear around and pointed it at Hellboy, "Da real question is, what are youz gonna do after I stick ya and bleed ya dry?"

"This," Hellboy stated before pointing the Samaritan at Ulik's head and firing. The force of the blast knocked Ulik's head back, but he was otherwise unmoved. He slowly brought his head back down, and grinned madly at Hellboy.

"Oh, crap," Hellboy said, before Ulik twirled his spear around and struck Hellboy with its broadside, sending him flying through the air, before he crashed into one of the ruined structures.

"I'll show all youz why im da biggest and da strongest!" Ulik shouted as he spun his spear around.

"Light him up!" John cried as he fired at Ulik. Gemma quickly followed suit, rapidly shooting at the troll. Ulik only laughed as the bullets bounced off his tough skin. With a loud laugh, he slammed his spear down on the ground, creating a fissure in the ground that shot forward, kicking up debris as it went. The group quickly scattered, dodging out of the way before the fissure hit one of the wooden structures, causing the structure to explode and send debris flying upwards.

"Show 'em some magik trickz, Orikal!" Ulik shouted over his shoulder.

"As you wish, my lord," Orikal said as he held his hands up. The slits opened to reveal red eyes on his palms. Orikal's palm-eyes began to glow red and spark with magical energy as he chanted under his breath.

"Scatter!" Zatanna shouted, as she and the others ran out of the way. A second later, a pair of large red beams shot out of his palms, engulfing a number of the structures and leaving deep gashes in the ground.

"Crap," Zatanna muttered to herself as she picked herself up and dusted her jacket off.

"Aunt Zatanna!" Raven shouted as she and Sebastian ran up, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, how's your dad?" she asked.

"Picking himself up," Raven said, pointing to the pile of debris that Hellboy was climbing out of.

"Alright, we'll let him and the others handle the big guy," she ordered, "You and Sebastian are with me. We're going after the wizard. You too, Wanda!"

"Right!" Wanda answered, picking herself off the ground.

"Let's go!" Zatanna shouted as she rushed Orikal, the others following.

"Not so fast!" Ulik shouted as he stabbed at Zatanna. A second before the spear stabbed into her, Viktor darted between the two, and hit the spear with his sword, deflecting the spear out of the way. Zatanna nodded her thanks before she kept running.

Orikal turned to Zatanna as she approached and pointed one of his hands at her. She drew her wand as the eye in his palm began to glow menacingly as Orikal chanted again.

"_Dnilb!_" she shouted as she pointed her wand at his hand. Orikal let out a cry of pain as the eye in his palm became milky white. He held it against his chest protectively as he pointed his other hand at her. He was too late however, as Zatanna had already moved within his reach.

"_Leets tsif!_" she shouted as her left hand took on metal characteristics. Swinging it forward, she struck Orikal dead in the center of his hidden face, the blow sending him tumbling back into the half-ruined structure.

She quickly followed Orikal into the structure, the three teenagers hot on her trail. She skidded to a stop when she saw Orikal rising to his feet in the middle of the large, spacious room.

"Raven! Sebastian! Lock him down!" she ordered, pointing at their target.

The two teens nodded before raising their hands, which became surrounded by the aura of their individual colors. Pointing upwards, the half-broken rafters of the ceiling became surrounded in the auras too. The two of them quickly brought their hands down, resulting in the rafters crashing to the floor and burying Orikal under the debris.

"Did we get him?" Wanda asked.

Suddenly, the pile began to shake and glow before it exploded, sending debris flying. Rising out of the pile, Orikal glared at them. His hood had fallen back, revealing a trollish looking face. The only difference was that his eyes glowed yellow and he had a third eye in the center of his forehead.

He held up his hand and fired a blast of energy. Zatanna quickly pushed the others out of the way before throwing up a magical shield. The force of the blast pushed her back out of the building, where she skidded to a stop. He then quickly chanted as he held his hands up. As he finished, the image of an eye appeared beneath his feet. Raising his hands above his head, he rose into the air while standing on the image of the eye. He slowly rose up until he flew out of the hole in the ceiling.

Zatanna looked up and saw him rise out of the ceiling, before narrowing her eyes in determination.

"_Ylf_" she said, before she lifted off the ground and flew after him. Seconds later, Raven and Sebastian flew out of the hole after them.

On the ground, Ulik thrust his spear at Viktor's midsection, but the monstrous man managed to use his sword and incredible strength to parry the blow. As Ulik moved to pull the spear back, Jack jumped onto the handle and rushed up towards Ulik's face. Ulik quickly twisted the spear, knocking Jack off balance. Grabbing the handle as he fell, Jack spun himself up and landed on Ulik's shoulders. With lightning reflexes, Ulik spun his spear length-wise around his neck, forcing Jack to leap to safety. As Jack fell through the air, Ulik grabbed the spinning handle and brought the weapon down on Jack. Unable to move in time, Jack was slammed into the ground by the flat end of the spear blade. As Jack lay on the ground, Ulik pushed the spearhead under him and flipped the werewolf into the air like a pancake.

As Jack tumbled through the air, Ulik positioned his spear to skewer him. Right before the troll struck, both Viktor and Etrigan grasped onto the spear and attempted to hold him.

"Youz tink ya can wrestle Ol' Tordenstok from me!" he shouted before he hefted the spear upwards, lifting Etrigan and Viktor off the ground, dangling from the spear, "Well, youz got anotha thing comin'!"

Ulik began to spin his spear above his head. The force that the spin generated caused Viktor and Etrigan to flap around like flags in a storm. Eventually, the force became too much and the two were flung off the spear, straight at where Blue and Daimon were standing. Blue leaped upwards over the two men while Daimon rolled beneath them. Unfortunately, Charlie was standing right behind them and his two teammates slammed into him. The force sent them all flying backwards, right into one of the ruined buildings, causing it to collapse even more.

"Come on!" Blue shouted as he landed, running at Ulik with Daimon hot on his heels. As they ran, Daimon cut in front of Blue, and rushed at Ulik with his trident at the ready. Right before he reached Ulik, he stopped and leaped upwards and over the troll's head. As he did, Blue lunged forward, stabbing with his trident. Ulik, however, wasn't fooled, and he quickly parried Blue's trident with his spear, before backhanding the demon, sending him flying.

At the same time, Daimon had landed behind Ulik and moved to stab him in the back with his trident. As Daimon moved forward, a red, stylized picture of an eye appeared on the troll's back. Before Daimon could react, a red blast of energy shot out of the eye, smashing into his chest and sending him flying backwards into the large, ruined building.

"Nice try," Ulik said with a grin, glancing back at Daimon, "but Orikal already put his magikz on me armor. No backstabben while Iz got it on."

In the air above them, Zatanna, Raven and Sebastian battled with Orikal. Orikal fired another one of his palm blasts at them, but they flew around the red beam. Thrusting her arm at Orikal, Raven formed a claw of energy that shot at the troll. As it approached him, Orikal formed a fist and raised it in front of his face. A slit formed on the back of his hand before opening to reveal a blue eye. The eye glowed before Orikal's hand was covered in a blue aura. Forming a chopping hand, he slashed at the energy claw as it approached him, slicing the construct in two.

As the three flew closer, Orikal brought his hands together as he chanted. The eyes on his robe began to glow, as they started to move, looking around wildly. Just as the three reached him, Orikal threw his hands up while shouting a single archaic word. A flash of energy exploded from his body, blowing the other back. When the energy subsided, the others saw that Orikal had disappeared.

"Where did he-" Sebastian started to say, before Orikal suddenly appeared in front of him. Before Sebastian could react, Orikal grabbed his head and stared into his eyes, all three eyes giving a sudden flash of light. Orikal released him as Sebastian eyes became glazed, before they closed and he started to fall.

"Raven!" Zatanna shouted, causing Raven to spring into action. Raven flew after Sebastian, while Zatanna charged Orikal. Reaching out with her powers, Raven snagged Sebastian as he fell.

Flying straight at Orikal, Zatanna held up both of her hands and slammed them into the troll's chest.

"_Hsup!_" she shouted, resulting in a burst of energy that sent Orikal tumbling back. Orikal managed to stop himself after flying back a few feet. Glaring at Zatanna, he reached for his robe and opened it, revealing his bare chest. A long line was spread across his chest, which opened to reveal a large purple eye. The eye began to glow brightly, before a large purple beam shot out at Zatanna. Zatanna's eyes widened as the beam rushed at her.

"_Brosba_!" she shouted as she crossed her arms in front of her. A barrier of translucent energy appeared in front of her. The beam hit the barrier, forcing Zatanna back. But the barrier held, and the beam disappeared into it. As the beam dissipated, the energy flowed into Zatanna, surrounding her with a purple aura as her eyes glowed the same color.

"_Yfilpma!_" she called again, causing the aura around her to flare, while she clenched her muscles in obvious strain.

"_Tsalb!_" she screamed as she held her hands in front of her. There was a few seconds where her hands glowed purple, before a beam, twice as big as the one Orikal shot at her, shot forward. Orikal was too shocked to react as the beam approached him. The purple energy slammed into him hard, smashing him into the ground and creating a sizable crater.

Zatanna watched for a few moments, waiting to see if Orikal would rise back up. When he didn't, Zatanna visibly sagged in the air as she floated back down to the ground.

"Are you alright, Aunt Zatanna?" Raven asked as she helped Sebastian to the ground, still groggy from Orikal's spell.

"I'm fine just-_look out!_" she shouted shoving Raven and Sebastian to the side. A second later, Hagrid's large form rolled past. He landed on his back a few feet away, moaning in pain.

"Iz tha' a best you lot can do?" Ulik mocked, spinning his spear about.

There was a sharp, twanging noise before an arrow bounced off the side of Ulik's head. The troll raised his eyebrow in confusion before turning to see Firenze pointing another arrow at him.

"An arrow? Really? Wha' waz tha' suppose to do?" Ulik asked incredulously.

"Distract you," Hellboy's gravelly voice said from right next to him.

Before he could react, Hellboy punched Ulik in the gut with his flesh hand. The strength of the blow surprised Ulik even more, and he doubled over slightly as the breath left his lungs. Hellboy followed up with a punch to Ulik's chin with his stone hand, sending the troll reeling back. As Ulik stumbled, Hellboy took a running leap at him, before punching him straight in the face with his stone hand. The attack knocked the troll straight off his feet, and onto his back.

The troll lay where he was for a few moments before he coughed loudly. Slowly he pulled himself to a sitting position, blood leaking from his nose and a manic grin on his face.

"No bad," he complimented before making a noise between a cough and a laugh, "But youz shoulda kept on hittin me."

"And you should really pay attention to your surroundings," Hellboy stated as he removed his trench coat.

Raising his eyebrow, Ulik looked around and found him surrounded by Hellboy's team, including Filch, who had walked down from his position on the hill.

"Oh, Odin save me. Youz all around me," Ulik mocked, before letting out a bellowing laugh, "Youz could barely hurt me before, wha' makez thiz any different?"

"Liz maneuver!" Hellboy shouted.

"Liz maneuver? Honestly?" John shouted back.

"Just do it!" Hellboy yelled as the air around him seemed to ripple with heat.

"Fine," John groaned, as he dropped Godsmack and pulled St. George out of his coat, "Bloody mopey lover boy. Gemma! Set your guns on incineration!"

"Right!" she replied as she flicked open her guns and put them on the appropriate setting.

"What the bloody hell is a 'Liz maneuver?'" Filch demanded.

"Do you have any incendiary rounds?" John asked.

"Yeah,"

"Load them up and follow my lead. Hagrid!" John eyed Hellboy, whose eyes had started to glow red.

"Aye?" the giant man asked.

"Pull out your umbrella and follow suit, we won't tell anyone!"

"Er, righ'," Hagird said as he pulled out his pink umbrella and pointed it at Ulik.

"Youz think I'm just gonna stand here an-" Ulik was cut off as a hex-bolt hit the ground beneath his feet, causing it to rear up and entrap his legs. As he attempted to pull his feet out, another bolt hit his gauntlets, causing him to lurch over as if they weighed a hundred times as much as they normally did.

"That should hold him!" Wanda shouted to the others.

"Good," John said, before turning towards where Daimon was standing while reaching into his pocket.

"Daimon! Catch!" he yelled as he tossed something to the young demon. Daimon instinctively caught it. Looking into his hand, he saw he now carried a pack of strange looking cigarettes.

"What do I do with these!" he asked.

"Give Blue your trident, then when I tell you, eat them!" John instructed.

"Eat them! What the hell will that do!" Daimon questioned.

"Hell if I know, but you're better equipped to handle whatever does!" John explained with a smirk, as he drew his wand.

Daimon stared at the wizard for a few moments before grimacing and handing Blue his trident.

"This has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever done," he concluded as he opened the pack.

"Everyone else, wands at the ready!" John ordered, looking at Hellboy again, whose tattoos and stone hand were glowing.

"Zatar!" Viktor yelled.

"What!" Zatanna asked.

"Can you summon lightning?" he inquired, his face deadly serious.

"Yes, why?" she questioned.

"Hit me with it," he requested.

"What!"

"Just do it!" he demanded.

"Fine! _Gnightil Tlob!_" she cried, pointing her hand at Viktor. A split second later, a lightning bolt shot out and struck the monstrous man. Viktor cried with pain as the bolt struck him, the electricity surging around him. But then his body seemingly began to absorb it. The bolts in his neck began glowing, as did his many stitches and eyes. Slowly he aimed his gun at Ulik.

"What should we do?" Charlie asked Jack.

"My best guess," Jack said as he moved slowly backwards, "stand back."

Hellboy growled as he pulled his stone arm back, which was now glowing with power. Setting his feet, he scowled as he pointed his arm at Ulik.

"Let's see how you like _THIS_!" he shouted as he thrust his arm forward. As he did a stream of black and red fire shot out of his stone hand, striking Ulik right in the face.

"NOW!" John shouted as he fired St. George while waving his wand, "_INCENDIO MAXIMA!_" Twin tongues of flame shot out of the two weapons, combining before engulfing Ulik.

"_Incendio!_" Raven shouted, pointing her wand at the troll. Wanda, Sebastian and Hagrid followed suit, each shooting streams of fire at Ulik.

Daimon took the time to eat the cigarettes, making a disgusted face as he did so. Seconds later he began to cough violently before he belched out a stream of crimson flames at Ulik.

At the same time, Blue slammed the two tridents together, creating a single one that glowed bright with heat. Gripping it with both hands, Blue thrust the trident forward, causing a stream of fire to shoot out.

Holding up his hands, Etrigan fired streams of hellfire at Ulik. As the two attacks hit, Etrigan breathed out another stream of hellfire from his mouth.

"_Eriflleh_!" Zatanna shouted as she held up her hand while a stream of black and red fire shot out. "_Lamirp erif_!" she called again as she shot a stream of bright orange fire out of her other hand. "_Nogard hteab_!" she shouted again before breathing out crimson flames. The three flames combined before striking the troll.

At the same time, Filch and Gemma fired their guns at Ulik, their incendiary rounds adding to the fire ball. Viktor also fired his gun, channeling the electricity coursing through his body through the weapon. A lightning bolt shot out, electrocuting Ulik as he burned.

All of the different attacks combined as they struck Ulik, creating a swirling tower of flames that shot high into the air, with Ulik at the base. Ulik's form could be made out as a shadowy figure engulfed in the flames. Amazingly, the form began to move in the flames, fighting off Wanda's enchantments and moving towards the edge of the flames.

"Raven!" Sebastian shouted.

"Right!" she shouted back, "_Azorath!_"

"_Metrion!_" Sebastian chanted.

"_ZINTHOS!_" They said together. As they did, a black and white sphere formed around the flaming tower, entrapping it. The sphere formed the fire into a flaming orb, with Ulik at its center. Ulik began pounding on the sides of the orb, his muffled roars coming through the magical barrier.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can hold it!" Raven cried as she cringed when Ulik hit the barrier again.

"Let's end this," Wanda said as she stepped forward and fired a hex-bolt at the orb. As the bolt hit it, the orb contracted drastically. Instead of crushing Ulik however, the orb outlined him, the entirety of the intense magical flames pressed against his skin. His screams of pain were easily audible through the barrier. Suddenly, the barrier exploded outwards, sending out a wave of intense heat, forcing some of the group to cover their face in protection. There was a thud as Ulik's body hit the ground.

"Oh my God," Zatanna whispered in amazement, as Ulik began to stand up, rising to his feet amongst the smoldering ruins that surrounded him. He grunted as he removed the melted wreck of his armor, taking it off of his charred flesh. His breathing was erratic as he stared at the group with enraged eyes, surrounded by his burnt face and now bald head.

He roared with fury as he pounded the ground with both his fists, sending out a shockwave that knocked everyone flying, many landing hard on the ground or in piles of debris. Hellboy growled as he rolled to his feet, his body now surrounded by a slight aura of flame, as a crown of flames floated above his head. With a roar of his own, he charged Ulik.

Ulik roared back at him, delirious with pain and anger, before picking up his spear and stabbing at Hellboy. Hellboy leaped above the attack, and struck Ulik in the face with his burning hand. Ulik cried out in pain as he swung blindly at Hellboy. The tip of the spear dragged across Hellboy's chest, sending his literary boiling blood flying outwards. As he stumbled backwards, Ulik stabbed at him, the spear driving into his shoulder and out the back. Hellboy roared in pain as Ulik laughed crazily.

"_Dad!_" Raven screamed in horror. At the same time Viktor rolled to his feet, groan. He looked at his gun, which had burst apart due to the amount of energy that went through it, before tossing it aside in disgust.

"Zatar!" he shouted, catching Zatanna's attention, "Hit me again!"

"What!" she yelled in disbelief.

"Look you're too tired to help him, and everyone else is in too bad a shape. Now hit me with everything you got!"

"Alright" she said hesitantly as she pointed her hands at him, "_Nwit Gninthgil Stolb!_"

Two bolts of pure electricity shot out of Zatanna's hands and struck Viktor, the power surging into his body. His eyes and scares began to glow as excess energy shot off of him. He threw his head back and opened his mouth in a silent scream of pain, the dark cavern of his mouth glowing with energy. If anyone could hear his thoughts, they would hear a single phrase running through his head, "_IT'S ALIVE!_"

Slowly lowering his head, Viktor marched towards where Ulik was standing, looking at the wounded Hellboy still skewered on his spear. Viktor picked up his sword as he went. The instant he did, the electricity began to flow into the sword, until the blade seemed to become pure energy.

Lifting the blade above his head, Viktor swung it at Ulik's back, cutting a deep wound into the troll's burnt flesh. Ulik screamed in pain as he arched his back, pulling the spear out of Hellboy.

"_Youz won' take me,_ _THUNDARA!_" he roared as he turned, and prepared to stab Viktor, but the monstrous man beat him to the punch.

Viktor stabbed the troll king in the gut with his sword and the energy surged outwards, electrocuting Ulik as well. Pulling the sword out, Viktor booted Ulik in the stomach, sending the troll falling onto his back.

Viktor moved to finish Ulik off, but was stopped when a beam of red energy lanced in front of him. Looking to his side, he saw Orikal pulling himself out from underneath some debris. Before he could react, Orikal recited a few words, causing an outline of an eye to appear beneath him and Ulik. A flash of light blinded Viktor for a moment, and when his eyes cleared, both Orikal and Ulik were gone.

"I got a bad feelin'," Filch said as he helped Gemma to her feet, "That that ain't the last we've seen of them."

Viktor grunted in reply as he stared at the spot where Ulik had lain, sparks still coming off of his sword.

A/N: Sorry for the wait on this chapter, finals, moving back home and starting work again ate up more time then I'd like, plus this chapter ran a bit long. I'll try to get the next one out faster!

Hope you liked the large scale battle, tried my best to give everyone some time to show off, though Viktor probably got the lions share. Hoped you liked Ulik and Orikal, they were a blast to write. Drop me a review and Later, True Believers!


	8. Ghosts and Poltergeists

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 8: Ghosts and Poltergeists**

_Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts_

As soon as the others had left, Bobo asked Professor Dumbledore to gather the entire faculty in the Great Hall so he could begin his investigation. As the faculty made their way in, Bobo took Johann to the side to talk to him privately.

"Vhat is zhe matter, mein friend?" Johann asked.

"I want you to stay in the infirmary while I investigate this," Bobo explained.

"Vhy?"

"Call it a hunch," Bobo replied dismissively.

"You never have hunches, Detective," Johann said, crossing his arms.

"Then call it insurance," the ape answered, a serious look on his face.

"Very vell," Johann said with a nod, before turning to go.

Taking a deep breath, Bobo walked into the Great Hall as the last of the faculty entered, the doors closing behind him. The faculty members where scattered around the room, sitting or standing in various places. Bobo walked to the end of the hall, where Dumbledore stood, turning to address the room.

"I want to thank you all for coming on such short notice," Bobo greeted them, "I understand with everything going on, you all must be very busy."

"Get to the point," Snape snapped from his position along the wall, "Why did you call us here?"

"Very well, we'll get right to the brass tacks, as it were," Bobo shrugged as he walked towards the center of the room.

"As I'm sure all of you have figured out already, the troll attack on this school couldn't have been accomplished without inside help. The trolls, even if they did have the magical skill, would not have the knowledge to get past the enchantments that protect the school. So they needed someone with that knowledge. Someone in this very room."

"So are you going to interrogate us?" Professor Sprout asked.

"Hardly," Bobo said, dismissively, "Professor Dumbledore kindly gave me files on each of you that I read on the trip here. From the information provided to me, I've deduced who the perpetrator is."

"What!" Professor McGonagall shouted with surprise. Similar sentiments past were voiced by other members of the faculty. Even Dumbledore raised his eyebrows in bewilderment.

"How could you possibly know already?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"I simply read the facts and came to the most logical conclusion," Bobo explained.

"What is that?" Snape asked.

"Well, Professor Snape let's start with you," Detective Chimp stated, "The school's resident Potion Master. Not the favorite amongst either your students or your co-workers. May be due to your standoffish attitude or, more likely for people in the know, the fact you were once a Death Eater, a servant of Lord Voldemort."

A murmur ran through the crowd again at the mention of Voldemort's name.

"I hope this wasn't news for anyone here," Bobo said, though he didn't seem worried.

"No," Snape growled, "they're all aware."

"Good, good. This, of course, would make most suspicious of you, people being people. Now when you walked in, I couldn't help but notice you walked with a limp. Do you mind if I examine it?" Bobo asked.

Snape glanced at Dumbledore. Dumbledore nodded, causing Snape to sigh, before he nodded at the detective. Bobo trotted forward, as Snape lifted his pant leg, revealing a vicious looking wound on his leg.

"My, my, that's quite the wound you have there. How did you get it?" Bobo asked.

Snape crossed his arms and looked away, remaining silent.

"Don't feel like talking?" Chimp asked, "No matter, I know you received it from the rather large dog guarding a trap door on the third floor."

Snape's head whipped back around to look at the chimp. Bobo merely smiled back at him.

"Don't be so surprised, did you really think that I wouldn't be informed of the most likely motivation for the crime I'm investigating?"

Snape seemed to relax a bit as Bobo continued.

"Of course, there's the fact that the dog isn't actually guarding anything besides that door," Bobo said, nonchalantly.

The silence that filled the room was almost palpable. Even Dumbledore was openly staring at the chimp.

"What?" Bobo asked, "It is an intelligent strategy Headmaster, but not an original one. Set up a secure location, with all the bells and whistles. A dire warning. A guard dog. Put all these signs and shiny lights pointing to where the item being protected is supposed to be, and then put it somewhere else."

Bobo held up his hands defensively at Dumbledore's slightly worried look.

"Now, don't worry, I don't know where the item in question actually is. That would be an entirely different investigation. My hypothesis was really just an assumption, though your reaction proves it true. Indeed, the whole point of this line of questioning is threefold. One, to stroke my own considerable ego. Two, to show your underlings that you are much wilier then you let on. And three, to show the perpetrator that he has revealed himself for nothing."

"Stop blabbering!" Snape snapped, "Who is it?"

"Isn't it obvious!" Bobo replied, before quickly going through his explanation, "You are the most suspicious. Yet everyone here trusts you and knows you investigated the trap door under orders of Dumbledore himself. From you it just snowballs to the truth. Professor Dumbledore, seen defending students from the trolls, no motive. Professor McGonagall, seen defending Gryffindor Tower, no motive. Madam Pomfrey, seen caring for the injured, no motive. Every Professor and faculty member here has no motive for the crime and a perfect alibi regardless!" He held up one finger for emphasis "Except one."

"It's simple really, who here have you know for the least amount of time? Who recently returned from a long journey a completely changed man? Who, in all honesty, would you suspect the least? Who, in fact, reported the attack in the first place? Who, during said attack, disappeared without a trace until the attack was over? All of the facts point to one man and I believe, all my questions can be answered with another."

During Bobo's explanation, Dumbledore had been scanning the room with increased urgency, before they narrowed dangerously.

"Where is Professor Quirell?" he asked sternly.

"Then the game's afoot," Bobo said to himself, a smile crossing his face as he moved towards the door.

_Meanwhile_

Professor Quirell hurried through the Halls, a serious look on his normally paranoid face.

"I'm sorry, my Lord. I thought I had them tricked," he said, apparently talking to himself.

"_You did. But to think, undone by a talking monkey!_" a dry voice said, apparently from within Quirell's turban.

"Actually," a voice said from above them as Bobo dropped into view, "I'm an ape. A chimpanzee to be specific."

"Get out of my way, beast!" Quirell ordered as he pointed his wand at Bobo.

"Well that's just unsportsmanlike," Bobo commented before backfliping out of the way as Quirell cast a spell at him. After landing, he leaped again as Quirell fired another hex at him. Grabbing hold of a torch bracket, he steadied himself on the wall and smiled down at Quirell.

"So Quirell, seems like the jig is up for you. But why not make your escape? There's no way you could find what you were after in time. So what could it be?" Bobo questioned as he made a mock thinking face, "Ah, you're after the boy aren't you? Trying to avenge your fallen master, as it were?"

"Silence!" Quirell shouted as he slashed at Bobo with his wand. Bobo leapt away, taking the torch with him as the spell cut the stone wall. Landing gracefully, he quickly tossed the flaming torch at Quirell's face. Quirell easily bat it aside with a spell, but was unprepared as Bobo leapt at him as well, right behind the torch. Bobo landed hard on Quirell's face, before he leapt off, taking Quirell's turban with him.

"Let's wrap this up, shall…we?" Bobo began as he unraveled the turban. He was thrown off of his train of though however, when he turned to look at Quirell again.

On the back of Quirell's bald head was another face. This one had only two, snake-like slits where its nose should be, along with a pair of yellow, snake-like eyes.

"Oh my," he said with a stunned look on his face, "I wasn't expecting that."

"_Kill him_!" the other face shouted. Quirell immediately put his hand behind his back and shot another spell at Bobo, which the chimp artfully dodged.

Quirell whirled around and fired a few more spells at Bobo, but the ape continued to dodge the attacks.

"_We're wasting time, lose him_!" the second face shouted. Quirell nodded before casting a spell on the roof, causing it to collapse, leaving rubble between Bobo and Quirell.

"Damn," Bobo swore, "as if the school isn't damaged enough. Straw!"

At the call, Straw Man stuck his head out of one of the paintings, the occupants of the painting shouting in surprise.

"Go after him! Stop him before he gets to the infirmary!" Bobo ordered.

"On it!" Straw said before disappearing back into the painting. Bobo nodded before turning around and running down the hall, looking for a way around the rubble.

Quirrel continued to race through the halls, heading towards the infirmary. As he ran, a scythe suddenly stuck out one of the many paintings on the walls. Quirrel reacted in time to duck beneath the curved blade before it could take his head off.

Quirrel whirled around and pointed his wand at his attacker. His eyes opened in surprise as Straw Man stepped out of the painting and pointed his scythe at Quirrel.

"Going somewhere, Professor?" he asked, smiling menacingly.

"What are you?" Quirrel asked, slightly shaking.

"You're worst nightmare," Straw Man replied, before rushing him.

Qurrel rolled out of the way as Straw Man slashed at him with his scythe. Quirrel quickly fired a spell bolt at Straw Man, but the painted man managed to deflect it with his scythe. Quirrel quickly swept at Straw Man's feet with another spell bolt. Straw Man dodged by leaping above it, before he flipped around and stuck to the ceiling.

Leaping down at Quirrel, Straw Man swung the scythe at him. Quirrel managed to block it with a spell, knocking Straw Man back. Flicking his wand at Straw Man, Quirrel knocked him backwards, sending him tumbling across the floor. Straw Man flipped himself to his feet before he dived into one the paintings. Qurirrel looked around hesitantly, pointing his wand at each of the wands, wary of Straw Man coming out of any one of them. Quirrel barely ducked in time as Straw Man's scythe swung at his neck from one of the paintings. As the scythe withdrew into the painting, multiple other scythes began swiping out of the other paintings, forcing Quirrel to wildly dodge out of the way.

"_Destroy the paintings!_" Quirrel's other face shouted.

Quirrel quickly pointed his wand at one of the paintings before a stream of fire shot out of the tip, lighting up the painting. Whirling around, he quickly lit the other paintings on fire, until the entire hall was a blazing inferno, the screams of the paintings' residents echoing of the stone walls.

"_Go now, before he comes back!_" the other face screamed, causing Quirrel to continue rushing down the hall.

Racing through the castle, Quirrel came to the door to the infirmary and threw them open before stepping in. The doors slammed behind him, before they glowed briefly. Seconds later, Bobo ran up to the doors and tugged on them, but they refused to open.

"Damn, he's sealed the doors!" he exclaimed.

"I can't get in there!" Straw Man shouted as he ran up, "There are no paintings in there! Can we get to the windows in time?"

"No," Bobo replied, "He'll have likely sealed those as well. We can't get in. Luckily, I kept an ace up my sleeve."

"An ace?" Straw Man questioned.

"You'll see," Bobo replied with a smirk.

As Qurriel sealed the room, his other face was smiling to itself.

"_Now, after over a decade of waiting, I shall have my revenge on…what?_"

The other face scanned the infirmary with its yellow eyes. The beds had all been pushed back to the far wall, where a number of children hid. Including Harry Potter. But between him and his justly deserved revenge stood a man, one wearing what looked like a Muggle diving suit.

"Guten tag" the man said in a distorted voice.

"Is that Professor Quirrel!" one of the children, a girl with bushy brown hair, asked.

"What the bloody hell is on the back of his head!" another child, a boy with red hair shouted.

"_Impudent wretch! Do you not know the face of the Dark Lord Voldemort when you gaze upon it!_" the other face shouted.

"Lord Voldemort," Harry whispered to himself.

"_Yes Harry Potter, I've come to finish what I started so long ago_," Voldemort sneered before turning to the man, "_Step aside._"

"Nien," he replied simply.

"Mr. Krauss, you can't!" Misty shouted.

"Let me help you," Tim offered as he tried to get up.

"Nein, you are still to veak," Johann rebuffed, holding up his hand, "Stay vhere you are children. I vill handle him."

"_Quirrel, dispose of him_" Voldemort said impassively.

"_Avada Kadava!_" Quirrel shouted as he spun around and pointed his wand at Johann. A green beam of light shot out of the tip and struck Johann in the chest. With a deathly silence, he fell to his knees. Hermione and Misty both screamed in horror.

"What happened!" Harry cried, "What did he do!"

"_The same thing I did to your parents, Harry Potter_" Voldemort said, "_The same thing that I will do to you_"

"I zhink not," Johann's said as he slowly stood up.

"I-It's not possible," Hermione whispered.

"_Impossible! No one survives the Killing Curse!_" Voldemort bellowed.

"I believe Harry did, which is vhat got you into zhis mess in zhe first place. Guess zhat makes me number two," Johann chuckled as he brought his hand up to his mask, before turning a valve, causing it to open and the white smoke within to leak out, "Zhough, in all fairness to Harry, I'm not sure if I really qualify as alive. From vhat I understand, zhe Killing Curse instantly separates zhe soul from zhe body. Zhe problem for you is zhat I have no body! I'm closer to vhat you would call a poltergeist. Vell, maybe not you, you're used to zhat pest, Peeves. He claims to be a poltergeist, but he's not. Nein, _I _am a poltergeist. Let me show you vhat zhat truly means."

As he spoke, the mist continued to pour out of the suit, until the suit crumpled to the floor, empty. Slowly, the mist dissipated all across the room, floating into the floors and the walls until it had all disappeared. Quirrel looked around warily, his wand shaking in his hand.

Suddenly, one of the unoccupied beds flew forward, sparks shooting off its metal legs as it dragged itself across the stone floor. It was upon Quirrel before he could react, and slammed into him, pinning him against the wall. As he struggled against it, the mattress suddenly sprang up, slamming into his face, the recoil of which knocked the back of his head against the wall, causing Voldemort to scream in pain. As Quirrel pushed the mattress away, the sheet sprang to life and wrapped itself around his neck. He tried to pull it off, but the sheet managed to pull him out from behind the bed and off his feet, before whirling him around and slammed him against the stone floor.

"Take zhis!" Johann's voice yelled as the sheet tightened around Quirrel's throat. The wizard struggled against it desperately as the air was cut off from his lungs. Finally, he was able to reach his wand and made a slashing motion with it towards the sheets, severing them. He rolled away pointing his wand at the sheets again, but they had fallen limp.

"I zhink you need anozher demonstration, Lord Voldemort," Johann's disembodied voice said.

Suddenly, the windows began to shake violently before they shattered, shards of glass flying into the room. Instead of falling onto the ground, the shards floated in the air, twirling about. As one, they all stopped moving and their edges pointed towards Quirrel. The shards flew forward, like a swarm of bees. Quirrel waved his wand in front of him in an attempt to stop the attack, but some shards managed to slips through, slicing up Quirrel. Hissing in pain, Quirrel stumbled forward into the center of the room.

Suddenly, the floor underneath his feet began to shake. It surged upwards, throwing Quirrel off his feet. As he was knocked to the ground, the floor flowed together, forming what looked like a face.

"Do you surrender?" the head asked with Johann's voice.

Quirrel responded by blasting off a part of the head.

"Very vell" Johann said, unfazed.

The face leaned over where Quirrel was laying, its mouth opening as if to swallow him. The face seemed to collapse, burying Quirrel beneath the rubble in a thunderous avalanche.

Slowly, the white mist rose from the rubble, before taking a vaguely humanoid shape on top the rubble. At the same time, a black, smoke-like substance rose from the rubble, taking a snake-like shape. The snake hissed before lunging at the humanoid form. However, the gaseous nature of both of them caused the snake to pass right through him. The snake continued on before flying through a wall and disappearing.

The man watched for a few more moments, before walking over to Johann's discarded suit. He became a cloud of gas again before flowing into the suit, causing it to expand like a balloon. Johann flexed a bit before reaching to his helmet and turning the valve, sealing it. He turned around, only to find all the children openly staring at him.

"Bloody hell," Ron managed to whisper.

A/N: Bit of a short chapter, but what a twist huh? Felt like showing off just what Johann and Bobo could do, especially with the later channeling another of Britain's great fictional characters. Please review! Later, True Believers!


	9. Ghosts of the Past

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 9: Ghosts of the Past**

_November 4__th_

After her infirmary was torn apart in the battle between Voldemort and Johann, Madam Pomfery was forced to turn the Great Hall into a makeshift hospital. She needed all the room she could get. Not only did she demand that all the children stay to be checked on again, she insisted on examining Mr. Krauss as well, though his odd biology, or lack of one, made it difficult.

The situation got even worse when the team sent into the forest returned. Though their mission was semi-successful, all of them were sporting injuries in one way or another. So now the hall was full of her patients. Dumbledore suggested transporting them to a hospital in the city, but none of her patients were that bad off so she turned down his offer. One patient made her slightly regret her decision.

She stood silently as she examined the creature who had tried to kill one of her patients. It took all her will power to stand by her oath and continue working on the monster of a man before her. He had suffered perhaps the most from the battle, next to Raven's father. It had been tough siphoning off the excess of electricity in his system, but she had managed. What surprised her is that it hadn't killed him.

In fact there were a lot of things that bothered her about him, other than the fact he had viciously attacked her and a little girl. The surgical scares that covered his body all formed complete circles, as if instead of being marks where someone had cut in, they were instead where a body part had been attached. The bolts on the side of his neck were also strange and seemed to serve no purpose. Stranger still was the reactions he got from some of the children. The Weasley boy seemed to be frightened of him, but for the same reason she was. The other children seemed to look at him like a long forgotten ghost from their pasts. The Kilgore girl seemed especially frightened off him, like he was a nightmare come to life.

"Are you done yet?" Viktor asked, not looking at her.

"Yes," she huffed, "I'm going to check on my other patients, I expect you to be on your best behavior."

Viktor grunted in response as she walked away. After she had left, Viktor continued to stare in front of him with his arms crossed.

"What do you want, Sheeda?" he asked, apparently no one. A yelp of surprise came from behind him, before Misty hesitantly walked up next to him. She stood besides his bed, noticeably out of reach. She remained silent for a few moments, staring at her feet.

"Well?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why do you hate me?" she asked, not looking up.

"You're a Sheeda, that's-"

"Reason enough. Yeah, you said that before," she snapped, glaring at him, "but that's not good enough. There's a reason you hate the Sheeda. You're no wizard, so you have to have some other reason, and I want to know."

"You want to know?" he growled, turning to glare at her, causing her to step back in fright, "You want to know why I hate your sniveling excuse for a people? You took my family from me!"

"You're…family? But Hermione said the Muggle books about you-"

"Don't you dare bring up that pile of lies that whore Shelly wrote about me? Nothing of that is true! I loved my father, and he loved me. He didn't abandon me. I didn't kill his brother or his wife. Elizabeth and Viktor treated me like their son. Their daughter, Emily…treated me like her brother," he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.

"What happened to them?" Misty asked, inching closer.

"The Sheeda came," he said as he stared at his hands before continuing, "A group of them came to my father's castle, demanding an audience with him. Their leader, Melmoth, had a son who had died in some battle. He knew that my father had created me, and that he could bring back his son. My father was no fool though. He heard the stories of the Sheeda, and that the local police had done battle with a group of monsters. He refused to help, so they tried to force him. They threatened our family if he didn't comply. I realized they wouldn't leave without a fight, so I attacked, as did my father. Somehow, one of them got the drop on me and knocked me unconscious. When I came to…everyone was dead."

"Oh my god," Misty whispered.

"I woke up alone, surrounded by the bodies of the Sheeda I had slain before being knocked unconscious. I rushed up towards where the bedrooms were in the castle. Elizabeth was dead in the hallway, laying in a pool of her own blood, seeping from a wound in her stomach."

"Then I found Emily. She…She was still in her bed. I don't know if she had woken up before they slit her throat, but I pray to God that she hadn't. That's when the tears came. I cradled her in my arms. She was…so small. She was like a doll. I wept and moaned with a pain I had never felt before. That's when the storm started, with the rain pouring down and the thunder booming. People have told me for decades that I was an abomination, forsaken by God. Their wrong, because I know that God wept and raged with me that night."

"I rushed down to the lab. I'm not sure how I knew they were there, but I did. I threw open the door into the lab, and let out a cry of pain and sorrow at what I saw. My father lay dead on one of his examination tables, a knife in his back. And he was talking to them."

"Who?" Misty whispered.

"Igor, my father's assistant," he growled, "He had made a deal with Melmoth. Told them he could do the procedure himself. He just needed me. I was dumbstruck. I had trusted Igor. He…he was a hunchback, he knew what it was like to be judged by how you look. And he just…sold my father out."

"I rushed into the lab without thinking. I had broken one of them in half before they noticed me. Not that cared, I was so focused on Igor that there could have been ten times their number and I wouldn't have cared. In the end though, their numbers proved enough. I was beaten down and dragged before Melmoth and Igor, two of the Sheeda holding me up."

"So this is the creation of the modern day Prometheus?" Melmoth mocked me."

"Yes, this is the creature. With the doctor's notes and him to study, I'll be able to recreate what the doctor did," Igor explained."

"I'll see you burn for this treachery, Igor," I spat as they held me up."

"Put him on the slab," was all he said."

"They dragged me over towards a cold metal slap. The very one I was born upon. Igor no doubt intended to dissect me, meaning it would be my deathbed as well. Poetic. Unfortunately for them, I had regained some of my strength. I threw off my captors and stumbled away, trying to regain my balance. I ended up grabbing one of the large cables running up to the lightning rod at the top of the castle. At that precise moment, lightning struck."

"For the second time in my relatively short life I was struck by lightning. The first time it happened it gave me life. The second time it gave me power. The power to avenge my family. To this day I don't recall exactly what I did, so white hot was my rage. All I know is that when I regained my senses, Melmoth and Igor had fled and the remaining Sheeda were dead, spread across the room in various stages of dismemberment."

"From that day on, I swore to hunt down Melmoth and Igor specifically and the Sheeda in general until they had paid for their crimes against me. My travels across the years have been…eventful, but that's not the point is. The point is that I hate your kind because-!"

He was cut off as Misty suddenly threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.

"I'm so sorry. My mother has told me our kind has done terrible things, but I've never really heard about them," she sobbed into his shoulder, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Viktor glanced at her with a shocked expression on his face. Was this not the girl who had been terrified of him the day before? Was this not a blood-thirsty Sheeda?

"_Now son, you have to understand that many people will be afraid of you. You see, people are quick to judge on appearances alone. They'll think you're a monster, because they don't understand what you are. People are prone to fear things they don't understand. So you must teach them by example, show them not to judge a person by what they look like,_" the voice of Dr. Frankenstein echoed in his head.

"_Father, I've been such a fool_," Viktor thought to himself closing his eyes.

He slowly placed his hand on Misty's shoulder. Her eyes shot open, and she pushed herself away from Viktor, skirting back until she was a good distance from him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," she rambled, but was quieted when Viktor held up his hand.

"I want to apologize," he said.

"What?" Misty asked, a dumbfounded look on her face.

"I want to apologize for trying to kill you. I judged you before I knew you. My father taught me better then that."

Misty stared at her feet for a few seconds, twiddling her thumbs nervously. Finally, she looked up, determination in her eyes.

"I accept your apology," she said firmly.

"Thank you," Viktor replied.

"So, what now?" Misty asked.

"We start over," Viktor replied, holding out his hand, "It's good to meet you, Misty Kilgore."

Misty smiled and took his hand, "It's good to meet you, Viktor Frankenstein the Second."

"Misty," Madam Pomfrey called from across the Hall, "your mother is here."

"Coming!" she called back before turning to face Viktor, "It was good to get to know you, Mr. Frankenstein."

Viktor nodded back, before she turned and walked towards the exit. As she walked, she noticed another man walking up to her. He had red hair with a white streak near the front, and wore clothing similar to the other B.P.R.D. members.

"Um, hello?" she greeted as the man walked up beside her.

"Hello, you must be Misty," he said with a cultured voice.

"Ah, yes, who are you?" she asked, uncertainly.

"Oh, excuse my manners. My name is Jason," he introduced himself.

"Are you here with the people who hunted down those trolls?" she asked.

"The B.P.R.D.? Yes I am."

"Well, thank you for helping us."

"Just doing our jobs, Misty. So I saw you talking with one of my teammates."

"Oh…yes I was," she said, looking at her feet as she walked, "He was apologizing for attacking me. You probably heard."

"Indeed I did. It's because you're a Sheeda, correct?"

Misty looked up at him with panicked eyes, causing Jason to chuckle.

"Slowly becoming the worst kept secret isn't it?" he grinned.

"Yes, and to answer you're question, that is why he attacked me."

"So what did he have to say?"

"He apologized."

"Really?"

"Yes. He told me why he hated the Sheeda, but then he remembered something his father told him about not judging people by how they look and he apologized."

"Very noble of him."

"I thought so," she looked up and saw they were approaching the main door. At the door stood a woman with long, dark hair dressed in brown robes.

"That's my mother. It was nice talking to you Mr…"

"Blood," Jason said with a smirk as he walked away and rounded a corner, "Jason Blood. I think you should keep that teaching in mind, Misty. Could serve you well in life."

A look of realization passed over Misty's face as a part of a story her mother told her echoed through her mind.

"_And those who survived his onslaught reported him always casting the same spell before he vanished, "Be gone, be gone, oh Etrigan. Return once more, the form of man_."

Taking a calming breath, Misty turned and walked towards her mother, though not with out a hesitant look over her shoulder.

_Meanwhile,_

Harry was walking about the Great Hall, feeling bored after being cooped up for so long. After a while, he noticed the unique appearance of Johann Krauss standing near one of the windows.

"Hello, Mr. Kraus," Harry greeted him as he walked up.

"Oh!" Johann said in surprise, jumping slightly before turning to face Harry, "_Gutten tag_, Harry. You shouldn't sneak up on people like zhat."

"Sorry," Harry said, scratching the back of his head, "I wanted to come over and say thanks for saving me and my friends."

"Zhink nozhing of it, Harry. I vas merely doing my job," Johann shrugged.

"Yeah, but you also went against a person many people are to afraid to speak the name of," Harry pointed out.

"True, but as I'm sure you noticed, I had a few advantages over him," Johann explained.

"I'll say. How did you do all that stuff you did?" Harry asked.

"Vell, you see Harry, it has to do vith my unique condition," Johann stated.

"Like that thing you said about having no body?"

"Precisely."

"So that's how you survived that spell Voldemort said he used…to kill my parents," Harry looked out the window as he trailed off.

"_Ja_," Johann responded, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder, "Not having a body does have some unique advantages."

"How did you get like this?" Harry asked, before looking away again, "I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

"Don't vorry, I don't mind," Johann answered, "Back in Germany, I used to be a psychic medium, a razher famous one if fact."

"A psychic medium?" Harry asked.

"It is someone vho posses zhe sixth sense. Zhe ability to see zhe spirits of zhe dead," Johann explained, "Vizards like yourself posses zhis ability naturally, vhich is vhy you can see zhe ghosts in zhis castle. It is my belief zhat Muggles like myself vho posses zhis ability have a vizard or vitch somewhere in their ancestry. Zhe veak magic in our blood give us zhis ability zhat your people take for granted. And because most vizards take it for granted, zhe don't realize zhe ability can be trained and refined."

"So that's what you did, trained your sixth sense," Harry surmised.

"_Ja_. I trained my abilities, and I eventually learned how to contact spirits zhat had moved on to zhe afterlife. I became famous for helping people move on from zhe pain of losing zhere loved ones. Zhat's how I met my vife, Helga."

"It sounds like you had it good," Harry commented.

"I did. I vas married to zhe love of my life and made a good living doing a job vhere I helped people. Zhat all changed zhough. One night, I vas performing a séance, just like any ozher. I vas about to contact a vidows deceased husband…vehn he appeared."

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Zhe Shadow King. A dark spirit more powerful zhen any I had ever seen. I don't know for certain vhy he appeared. I believe he was disturbed by some ozher psychic event, possibly hundreds of miles avay. All zhat I know zhat in his rage, he found me upon zhe Aztral Plane. His rage burned like a fire, and flowed zhrough the link I had made. Zhe power burst from my body, destroying my body, and killing zhe vidow and my vife. Zhen, just as quickly, he disappeared."

"In some unforeseen vay, my training had strengzhened my control over my own soul. So why zhe ozhers died, I lingered. I discovered zhat I could posses unanimated objects…vhen I accidentally possessed my vife's dead body. Zhe…experience, vas unpleasant to say zhe least. I've been squeamish about possessing human corpses ever since."

"It vas not long afterwards zhat I found that if I didn't posses an object, I vould begin to fade away. I believe, as I said earlier, zhis is how all poltergeists come about, being the ghosts of mediums. For years I vandered, going from place to place, volloving in my own self-pity. Eventually, my roaming caught zhe attention of zhe B.P.R.D., vho convinced me to join zhem. Zhay built me zhis containment suit and zhe rest as zhey say, is history," Johann sighed as he looked out the window again.

"…Did you ever find this Shadow King guy?" Harry asked.

"_Nien_," Johann stated, crossing his hands behind his backs, "but I vill keep looking until I do. Zhen, I vill pay him back for his kindness."

"I guess I have similar feeling towards Voldemort" Harry replied, looking out the window as well.

"Lord Voldemort seems to be in a similar situation as myself, zhough I suspect zhat his condition is do to some magical force," Johann explained.

"So you think he'll be back?" Harry asked.

"I can almost guarantee it," Johann responded.

"Well, I'll be ready for him next time."

"Zhat's very brave of you, Harry."

"Thanks," Harry said, scratching the back of his head.

"Hey, Harry," Raven said as she walked up to them, "Hey Uncle Johann, mind if I borrow Harry?"

"Go right ahead," Johann responded.

Raven signaled for Harry to follow her. They walked across the Great Hall, coming to the bed that Hellboy lay in.

"Harry, I'd like you to meet my father," she said, gesturing the red demon sitting up in bed.

"Nice to finally meet you, kid" Hellboy greeted, but he started to frown when he noticed Harry openly staring at his cut horns, "See something interesting?"

"Ah!" Harry jumped in surprise, "N-No sir, I-I mean sorry sir."

"Don't worry about it, kid," Hellboy said with a smirk, "and don't call me, sir."

"Sorry," Harry looked at his feet.

"And you really got to stop apologizing. Geez Raven, this is the kid who hopped on a troll's shoulders?"

"He's kind of shy around strangers," she said with a shrug.

"Well anyway kid, Raven here has been telling me about you. Including the situation with your aunt and uncle," he said, solemnly. Harry looked at his feet, sadness crossing his face.

"So…she came to me and begged and pleaded, and gave me the big, teary eyes, until I and her grandfather relented. So we pulled some strings and…" Hellboy explained before looking at Raven.

"We've decide to invite you to stay with us for the Christmas holidays," she said with a grin.

"What? Really!" Harry said excitedly.

"Yep," Hellboy said with a grin, "So how about it? I understand if you'd rather spend your holiday with family instead of-"

"I'll go," Harry said quickly.

"Well then, pack your bags, Harry," Hellboy smirked, "You're going to America."

A/N: Well this took a little longer then I'd like, but 2 weeks isn't bad when compared to my previous record. A lot of back story revealed here, so I hope you all enjoy this. Not much action this chapter, and I don't have a lot planned until later. Harry Potter has never been big on action, and I suppose that's reflecting on this story. Still, I have some good stuff planned, so bear with me.

Also to Phygmalion, thanks for the review, but because you made it without an account, I can't really respond to your questions other then here, and I'm not sure I'm suppose to do that. I'll risk it though and tell you that I will indeed start another one of the storylines after this one is done.

Well that's it, until next time, Later True Believers!


	10. Coming to America

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 10: Coming to America**

_November 5__th__,_

Albus Dumbledore sat alone in his office again, pouring over his notes and invoices. It would cost a good amount of money to repair all of the damage sustained by the castle, though it wasn't anything that the schools old and substantial coffers couldn't handle. It would put a dent in them however. Adding to his burden were all the angry letters he was still receiving from both parents and the Ministry. The fact that the B.P.R.D. were able to dispose of the troll settlement would help cool some of the tempers. His plans to invite an official Auror team to investigate the scene would help as well.

Though in all honesty he would have preferred to have a team of his fellow Sentinels of Magic, but he already knew that the various members had troubles of their own, especially the young Sorcerer Supreme. So he turned to his trusted friend Trevor and his son's veteran team. Either way, he didn't want to get Fudge and his flunkies involved. Certainly there were good seeds still, in the Ministry as a whole and the Aurors in particular, but Albus had lost much trust in the government under Fudge's reign. Albus had never been a fan of playing politics but he stilled had the skill and he used those skills to get, what he believed to have been and what turned out to be, the best answer.

Thanks to the B.P.R.D.'s status as a S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, they were able to effectively pull rank on the Aurors, not that Fudge fought very hard over the jurisdiction. Fudge has always been afraid of the cost of failure, so it was easy for him to see the danger of an Auror team failing presented, and of course, the political backlash. So he gladly stepped aside to give another team the chance to fail. Of course, when Hellboy's team didn't fail, Albus had to toss the hapless Minister a bone in order to keep him appeased. So the invitation for a team of Aurors was given (with the obvious inclusion of Daily Prophet reporters for mandatory photo shoots), and the Minister was content with what little evidence of the Ministry having actually done something in the crisis. Hellboy solves the problem, Fudge takes the credit, and everyone goes home happy.

The next thing weighing on his mind was not so easily dismissed. Voldemort had somehow returned, in a ghostly state anyway, and had infiltrated the castle, right under his nose! Bobo, the detective chimp who had revealed Voldemort, had told him afterwards that there would have been no reason to suspect Quirrel until the Halloween incident, and no way of knowing Voldemort was directly pulling the strings, but it didn't make Dumbledore feel any less foolish. He's not sure how, but he should have known.

He found Voldemort's physical state troubling. While he was certainly less of a threat than when he was alive, he wasn't a complete non-threat. Dumbledore wondered how the Dark Lord had come to be in such a state. He had an idea, but it was almost too dreadful to imagine. What struck him more was that he wouldn't put it past Voldemort to have done it. All he knew for now though was that Voldemort was still out there somewhere, and was no doubt planning his next move against himself and Harry.

Albus sighed as his thoughts turned to Harry. He'd been through so much in such a short time and Albus couldn't help but feel he was responsible.

A knock came from Albus's door. The old wizard regarded it for a moment before speaking.

"Enter," he said in a disinterested voice. The door opened and Trevor Buttenholm walked in.

"Hello Albus, how are you today?" the professor asked friendly.

"Swamped Trevor," Dumbledore sighed, "The past few days have put more strain on me then I care for."

"I would suspect," Trevor replied as he took a seat in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"Still, I want to thank you for the help you and your people provided me during this crisis," Dumbledore thanked him.

"Think nothing of it," Trevor said dismissively, "that's what friends are for, after all."

"Indeed," Dumbledore replied, "So I take it you'll be leaving soon?"

"Right after this, just wanted to say my last goodbyes before departing."

"And I take it Harry will be going with you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Trevor said, giving Albus a look that meant he knew the wizard had something more to say.

"So he agreed to go?" Dumbledore inquired uncertainly.

"What is it you're trying to say Albus?" Trevor questioned.

"He doesn't care for his relatives does he?" Dumbledore asked.

"From what I've seen and heard from my granddaughter, no he doesn't. And I believe that they care for him even less," he responded.

"I should have known," Albus sighed, "Lily's parents were such good people, I thought that Petunia's upbringing would outweigh her jealousy of her sister. It seems I was wrong."

"Albus-" Trevor started, putting his hand up.

"No! Don't tell me I couldn't have known. The evidence was right there in front of me. It's my fault, I should have checked on him more," Albus moaned as he placed his head in his hands.

"Albus your reasoning was sound. From what you've told me, Lily's magic protected members of her family. His aunt was the only family he had left. You were worried about his safety and despite what you knew about her, you know she wouldn't kill the boy," Trevor explained.

"I suppose your right, but I still feel I have done wrong by the boy," Albus bemoaned.

"Then let us rectify that," Trevor said, leaning forward, "We can take him and put him somewhere better. You and I both know the boy's relatives won't fight for custody."

"Where do you suppose we put him?" Dumbledore questioned, though he felt he might already know the answer.

"Consider this vacation a test run," Trevor responded with a smirk, "If he enjoys himself, then we know the answer."

"You're putting yourself on the line for Harry," Dumbledore commented.

"You did the same for Raven," Trevor replied.

"You can't say that was the same thing."

"Isn't it?" Trevor asked while raising an eyebrow, "I needed a safe school when I already had a safe home. Now you need a safe home when you already have a safe school."

"Well," Trevor sighed as he stood up, "I must be going."

"Thank you again, Trevor," Dumbledore said.

"As I said before Albus," Trevor responded with a grin, "That's what friends are for. Happy Holidays."

"Happy Holidays," Albus replied as Trevor left, before returning to work with a smile on his face.

_Later,_

"Come on!" Hellboy called over his shoulder, "We're burning daylight!"

Harry huffed, dragging his trunk behind him as he and the others walked along. They were walking up a small hill near the edge of the little village of Hogsmeade, which sat in Hogwart's shadow. Harry was confused as to why they were wandering out here in the cold, November air, but he trusted the others and what they had planned.

Suddenly, the weight of his trunk became non-existent. Turning around, he saw a black aura had surround his trunk and lift it into the air.

"Raven, it's all right. I can carry my own trunk," Harry said.

"Well, now I'm carrying it," she replied, matter-of-factly, before walking past with the trunk following behind, "Now, hurry up!"

"Where are we going anyway?" Harry asked as he jogged behind Raven.

"Catching a ride home!" she replied.

As she said this, they and the other members of the group, which included the B.R.P.D. members along with Harry, Raven, and Wanda. They had all gathered in a circle at the top of the hill. Pushing his way into the circle, Harry discovered that they were all standing around…an old tractor tire.

"Um…" Harry mumbled in confusion.

"Alright," Professor Buttenholm said, "Everyone get ready"

"What are we doing?" Harry asked, slightly panicked as the others stepped towards the tire.

"First time with a Portkey, huh kid?" Jack said with a smirk, "First step's a doozie."

"Harry, just hold on tightly," Raven instructed as she leaned over it, "Just keep focused on me, and do what I say and you'll be fine."

Harry gulped loudly and nodded before stepping up to the tire.

"Alright everyone, grab hold!" the Professor said, as he reached for the tire. Harry quickly reached out and grabbed the tire. As soon as he did, it felt like the tire shot into the air while spinning around rapidly. It took all of Harry's strength to hold on, for fear of flying off and falling to his death. After a few seconds of spinning, he heard Raven's voice over the wind rushing by his ears.

"Let go, Harry!" she cried.

"WHAT!" Harry bellowed back.

"LET GO!" she yelled as she let go. Harry saw her fly off into the spinning sky. With a shout of fear, Harry let go, and the feeling of plumiting overtook him.

Suddenly, the fall stopped as Harry fell face first onto a cushioned floor. Looking up, Harry saw white color swirling around him as he tried to regain his bearings. When the world stopped spinning, Harry saw that he was in a white, padded room, lit by an over head florescent light. Looking around, he saw Hellboy, Viktor, Jack, Bobo and Johann sprawled upon the floor, with the tire sitting near the center. Glancing up, Harry saw the others floating gently down to the floor, with Raven supporting her grandfather.

"Thank you, my dear," the Professor thanked Raven.

"Don't mention it, Grandpa," she smiled back.

"Up and at 'em, Harry," Wanda said with a smirk as she helped Harry up, the others doing the same for their fallen friends.

"What was that?" Harry asked.

"Portkey," Wanda explained, "Basically a magical shortcut along great distances. They're kind of hard to set up, so you won't see them a lot, and as you can tell, they're not very user friendly without practice."

"You're tellin' me," Hellboy groaned as he stretched his back while heading for the door.

"Come on Harry, I'll show you to your room," Raven said as she headed to the door, her and Harry's trunk floating behind her. The door led to a long steel hallway, lit by fluorescent lights.

"Where are we anyway?" Harry asked.

"The Bureau of Paranormal Defense," the Professor answered, "A secret, underground base located in Newark, New Jersey."

"Wow, an underground base?" Harry said in amazement as he looked around excitedly.

"You'll grow to hate it," Hellboy grumbled as he walked down the hall.

"Don't let him bother you," Raven said, "He gets grumpy when he gets back because he has to stay locked up."

"Why does he have to stay here?" Harry asked.

"Well, kid," John picked up as they walked down the hall, "You know Muggles can freak when it comes to magic, how do you think they would take seeing a big red demon walking around?"

"Oh," Harry said, scratching the back of his head.

"Anyway," Wanda said, catching Harry and Raven's attention, "I need to catch my ride to the Institute, so I should be going."

"Okay, see you around," Raven said with a wave.

"Yeah, talk to you later, Rae," she smiled before walking the opposite way down the hallway.

"Where's Wanda going?" Harry asked.

"Well you see, because Wanda's a mutant, she goes to a different school when she's not at Hogwarts," Raven explained, "It's called Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngesters, or the Institute for short. It's basically Hogwarts for mutants, where they can learn to control their powers."

"Cool," Harry said as they walked toward a door at the end of the hall, "stinks that she has to go to two schools though."

"It's more of a home then a school, really" Raven stated.

"Speaking of homes," the Professor said, "allow me to introduce to you a piece of my own."

The old man pushed open the door, revealing a large library behind it. Harry gasped in awe as he looked at it. The Hogwarts library was bigger, but there was something much grander about this one. Maybe it was the statue at its center, or maybe it was the water tank along its side. Wait, a water tank?

Harry looked at the dark blue water behind the glass with a puzzled expression. Approaching it, he noticed some books on pedestals, facing the tank.

"Professor," Harry asked still looking at the tank, "why do you have an aquarium in here?"

Suddenly, there was a stirring of the water and Harry found himself face to face with a blue fish-man.

"Hello," the fish-man said friendly.

Harry screamed in surprise and fell onto his back.

"Harry," the Professor said with a chuckle as he approached, "I'd like you to meet Abraham Sapien. Abraham this is-"

"Harry James Potter," Abe said matter-of-factly as he placed his hand on the glass and stared of into space, "11 years old. Only recently discovered he was a wizard, and has begun attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Famous for-" Abe suddenly cut off, "Oh my…I'm so sorry."

"Did you just…read my mind?" Harry asked, frightened.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget that not everyone appreciates it."

"He didn't mean anything by it Harry," Raven said as she helped Harry to his feet, "It's kind of how he says hello."

"It's alright," Harry responded, before turning to the tank, "It's good to meet you, Mr. Sapien."

"You as well, Mr. Potter," Abe said with a smile.

Suddenly, another door into the room burst open. A middle-aged man with a bald head dressed in a suit walked in.

"About time you all got back! I've had it up to here with this bullshit!" he bellowed as he walked in.

"Problem, Agent Manning?" the Professor asked.

"I don't care if he was to wear it every few days, he's uncontrollable. I can't deal with him anymore!" he yelled, getting red faced.

"Deal with who?" Harry asked Raven.

Before Raven could answer, there was a wooshing noise, followed by a sound akin to rubber stretching. Manning yelped in pain as what looked like his underwear was stretched over the top of his head. Manning stumbled to the side, revealing a man standing behind him. The man was dressed in a bright yellow suit, with matching hat. His most striking feature however, was his bald, lime-green head and his ear to ear grin.

"Atomic Wedgie!" he shouted with child-like glee, laughing as he watched Manning struggle. The others watched in amusement, some politely hiding their laughter, while others, such as John, Jack and Hellboy, were cracking up.

Finally, there was a tearing sound and Manning's underwear ripped in two, freeing him. The turn of events sent Hellboy falling to the floor, and holding his stomach as if in pain. Manning pulled the remains of his underwear off his head, before glaring at Hellboy.

"You! You put him up to this didn't you? He's never come after me this hard when wear the mask. You told him to pull all these pranks, didn't you!" he screamed, red faced as he pointed an accusing finger at Hellboy. Hellboy paused to stare at Manning in shock, before he cracked up laughing again, kicking his legs in delight.

"That's it!" Manning screamed in rage, "That is it! I'm sick of you freaks! I'll have you all locked up! Bread and water for a week for all of you!"

As he ranted, he stormed out of the library. As he did, he revealed that he had a "kick me" sign attached to his back. This only caused the others to break up into more hysterical laughter.

"Well," Raven said, still giggling, "Now you've met Agent Manning. I guess I should introduce you to Stanley."

"Who's Stanley?" Harry asked. As he said that, he felt the presence of someone standing behind him. Turning around, he found himself face to face with the green-faced man.

"Hi there!" he said excitedly.

Harry yelled in surprise. In response, the green faced man screamed as well, his eyes and tongue popping out comically. Harry quickly back pedaled as the green faced man straightened up and laughed.

"Harry let me introduce you to Stanley "the Mask" Ipkiss," Raven said with a giggle, "Stan, meet Harry Potter."

"Good to meet you!" he said, reaching out to shake Harry's hand. Harry accepted the gesture, but regretted it as the Mask almost shook his arm off.

"Harry's going to be staying with us for the holidays," Raven explained.

"Great!" Mask said excitedly, spinning around and changing into a Santa outfit, "I love the holiday season! Most wonderful time of the year, you know,"

"Alright Stan, that's enough," Hellboy said, putting his hand on the Mask's shoulder and leading him away, "Let Raven show the kid his room."

"No problem. So how did I do boss?" Mask asked.

"You did great. And don't call me boss."

"Come on Harry," Raven said, walking towards another door, "I'll show you to your room."

Harry nodded and followed her. A few minutes later, he was sitting in his new room. It was rather utilitarian in design, the unmarked walls made of metal, and the only furniture being a bed and a bedside table. Still, to Harry, it felt great, yet another exciting new turn of events. He couldn't wait to see what tomorrow brought. It was then that Harry's stomach growled, reminding him that, for now, his next adventure should be finding the cafeteria.

_Later that evening_

The air in the library was quite, disturbed only by the slight sound of turning pages. In various places around the library, Professor Buttenholm, Bobo, Johann and Abe were reading books. As they concentrated on their books, there was a knock on the door. Looking up, the others saw Viktor enter the room.

"Hello Viktor," the Professor greeted.

"Hello Professor," the creature nodded in return, pausing before continuing, "I understand that you have a sort of reading session at this time."

"Indeed we do," the Professor replied with a smirk, "would you like to join us?"

"Yes, if you don't mind?"

"Of course not. Pick a book and have a seat."

Nodding, Viktor walked over to one of the many bookcases and began to scan through the book. Pulling out one of the books, he looked at the title before nodding and finding himself a chair.

"_The Tragical History of Doctor Fautus,_" Abe commented.

"My father enjoyed the work," Viktor commented, "He also told me once that he feared he was becoming like a modern day Faustus when he was creating me. That he was delving into something that he shouldn't. That he was making a deal with the devil."

The room was quite as Viktor ran his hand over the cover, his eyes fogged by memories.

"He told me the notion left him the instant he saw that his experiment had worked. He said he knew that he had not bargained with Lucifer, as I was truly a gift from God."

"Vell zhen," Johann chuckled to himself, "It's good to see zhat Shelley got one part of zhe story right."

"What do you mean?" Viktor asked, slightly irritated at the mention of the author's name.

"Zhe title of her book. Your fazher vas afraid he vas a modern day Faustus, vhen he vas truly a modern day Prometheus," Johann explained with a slight chuckle in his voice.

Viktor smiled as well before he opened the book and began reading.

"A modern day Prometheus indeed."

_Meanwhile,_

Hellboy was alone in his room, sitting at the edge of his truck bed, drinking beer while staring at his wall of television screens. He didn't bother to look up as a low wooshing noise announced someone's entrance into his room.

"Still trying to drink yourself to death, Dad?" Raven asked as she walked up and sat down next to him, picking up one of the many cats inside and petting it.

"Nah, gave that up years ago. Got a liver built outta stainless steel," he joked as he took another swig while patting his stomach, not looking at his daughter.

"You know, it's not your fault" she stated, staring at the screens too.

"Ya, I know. Blue and Cromedome already had that talk with me," he said with a sigh, "She's just done what's good for her. In the end, that's all I could really want for her."

"To be happy," Raven continued quietly.

"Ya," Hellboy nodded absentmindedly, before continuing, "Still, I didn't realize this time of year would be so hard."

"The holidays don't feel the same without her," Raven agreed.

Turning, Hellboy looked down and saw Raven stroking the cat with a sad look on her face. Slowly, he reached down with his stone hand, and tilted her chin to look at him.

"Why you so sad, Rae?" he asked, though he already new the answer.

"I miss her too, Dad," she replied as she wrapped her arms around his stomach, while he put his arm around her shoulders. Together, they watched in silence as Liz Sherman's face danced across the television screens.

A/N: Some more exposition in this one, but don't worry, there's action to come in the next chapter! In the meantime, I hope you liked seeing what I did with the characters, along with the reappearances of some old favorites. Until next time, Later True Believers!


	11. Mr Sandman

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 11: Mr. Sandman**

_December 2__nd__, 2012_

Things were quiet in the lobby of the Newark Waste Disposal Center, secretly the location of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. The lobby was rather large with columns running along the walls. A large security desk sat across from the entrance.

Behind it sat a 30ish, black haired man dressed in a security guard's uniform. The man sat reading a magazine, a name tag reading "Mike" attached to his uniform.

The quiet of the room was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. The door made a large creaking sound as it was opened, which were followed by the sound of heavy boots against the marble floor. Looking up, Mike saw a man walking towards his desk. The man wore a black trench coat along with a pair of black pants and heavy black boots. He also wore a pair of black, fingerless gloves, and a wide brimmed black hat, which was pulled down in a way to hide his face.

"Can I help you?" Mike asked, instantly suspicious.

"I'm here to see someone," the man said. His voice sounded young, and also strangely muffled.

"Who are you looking for?" Mike asked, reaching under the desk, keeping his hand near the alarm button.

"The Straw Man" the man replied simply.

"I don't know any Straw Man," Mike said as he pushed the button, the silent alarm going off as he reached for his gun with the other.

"Of course you do, he works down there," the man said, indicating downwards. As he did, he lifted his head, revealing that his face was covered by a white gas mask.

"Alright buster," Mike said, drawing his gun and pointing it at the man, "Hands up! You're not going anywhere!"

"I really wish this could have been more civil," the man said, lifting his arms up, his fists clenched. As soon as they were even with his head, the man opened his hands, resulting in a cloud of sand to shoot out and surround Mike's head. Mike blinked rapidly as the cloud swirled around him. He began to wobble on his feet before his eyes rolled back in his head. Falling back into his chair with a loud thump, Mike's head lolled forward as he fell asleep, his gun clattering to the floor.

The man casually walked up to the desk, taking off his jacket and hat as he did so. Underneath his jacket he was wearing a sleeveless black shirt which showed off his wiry arms. Removing his hat revealed black, stringy hair coming out from behind his mask. He causally tossed his articles onto the desk before pushing a button, activating the hidden elevator in front of the desk.

The man hopped over the desk before stepping onto the descending platform, stretching his muscles as he rode the elevator to the B.R.P.D.'s secret headquarters.

_Meanwhile,_

Alarms blared as Hellboy raced down the hallways of the underground complex, heading towards the main entrance to the facility. As he did, he almost ran over Harry, who was standing in the hall looking frightened.

"Mr. Brutenholm, what's happening?" Harry asked, looking up at Hellboy with worried eyes.

"Someone's trying to break into the base," Hellboy explained, "Go find Raven, and stay away from the main entrance."

Harry nodded in affirmation before rushing away, while Hellboy continued on his way to the entrance. Approaching the area, he heard the tell-tale sounds of the elevator descending. All around him were agents wearing black gas masks and brandishing pistols. As he ran up, he noticed Manning, wearing a gas mask himself, directing the agents.

"What's the situation, Manning?" Hellboy asked as he drew the Samaritan.

"Here, put this on," Manning said as he tossed Hellboy a large gas mask, "We got one intruder coming down, he knocked the guards out with some kind of sleeping gas."

"Just one guy?" Hellboy asked.

"Yeah, so you just know he's going to be a handful," Manning commented as he drew his service pistol.

Hellboy nodded as he put on the breathing mask. Looking to the side, he saw the other members of his team gathered in the room, those who needed them wearing gas masks.

"You all ready?" he asked, getting nods from the others. Well most. There was a wooshing noise before the Mask appeared at his side.

"What's the situation, boss?" he asked, leaning on Hellboy's shoulder.

"We got an intruder," he answered, his voice muffled by the mask.

"What?" Mask asked putting a hand to his ear.

"I said we got an intruder," Hellboy answered again, speaking louder and turning to face the Mask.

"I'm sorry but I can't hear you, you really got to stop mumbling, boss," Mask said.

"I said we got an intruder!" Hellboy bellowed as he ripped off the Mask.

"Oh okay, got ya!" Mask replied, smiling stupidly and giving a thumbs up. Hellboy merely rolled his eyes and put his mask back on.

"So what are we gonna do?" Mask asked, causing Hellboy to growl in irritation.

Before he could say anything though, the sound of the elevator grew louder and the bottom of the platform came into view. Instantly all the guns in the room were trained on the elevator, prepared to fire when needed. As the elevator continued to descend, a large cloud shot down from above it, covering the room. The cloud quickly dissipated and those in the room were protected from any ill effects by their masks. The cloud, which Hellboy quickly noted was sand, left a slight film on the surfaces of the room, but he quickly forgot about it as the elevator came into full view…revealing no one riding it.

"The hell?" John whispered, lowering his gun slightly. The others in the room looked on equally confused as the elevator came to a stop, completely devoid of passengers.

"Something's wrong here," Abe stated, as he began to look around the room.

"No kidding, Blue. There's no one on the elevator," Hellboy stated.

"No, it's not that, its…" Abe trailed off as he scanned the room, looking for something, anything out of place. Then he saw it. There, standing in the middle of a sea of black gas masks, was a single white one.

"Move!" Abe shouted as he ran towards the intruder, but it was too little, too late.

The man in the white gas masked jumped upwards while bending his knees. Before anyone else even knew he was there, he had slammed his feet into the ground, hard. The action resulted in all the sand that had gathered in the room to suddenly lift upwards and fly away from him, knocking everyone else off their feet. As everyone lay in shock, the masked man made a pulling motion with his hands, causing all the sand to come back to him and gather in a baseball sized clump in front of him. Pinching the sides of the ball, the masked man pulled outwards, resulting in two, long, whip-like forms in each of his hands.

Lashing out, he grabbed one of the still downed agents with the whip while snagging another with the other whip. Yanking them off their feet, he swung them through the air with disturbing ease. He then swung them low, knocking them into their fellow agents, sending bodies flying. After a few seconds, all the agents lay upon the ground, badly injured and grasping desperately onto consciousness.

"So, who wants to take me to see the Straw Man?" he asked, his voice muffled by his mask.

"Mask," Hellboy growled as he stood up, "Take him down."

"You got it," the Mask said with a wicked smile.

Mask sprung up and rushed forward, a cloud of dust shooting up behind him. The man couldn't react in time as Mask barreled into him. He wrapped his arms around the man and lifted him up before carrying him back up the elevator shaft. The door at the top of the shaft burst open as Mask ran through them, knocking them off the hinges and onto the entrance floor.

Leaping into the air, Mask spun the man around rapidly, before throwing the man into the floor, cracking it. The man in the gas mask moaned as he rose to his feet as Mask landed gracefully.

"So, ready to give up?" the Mask said with a grin, shrugging nonchalantly, "Names the Mask, by the way."

"Sands," the other responded, rubbing his soar back, "And there's no way I'm giving up."

Sands slid into a fighting stance, as the sand that still surrounded him began to swirl around his feet.

"Have it your way then," Mask said with a smile, before spinning around in place. When he stopped, he was now dressed in a karate uniform, a black belt around his waist and a white headband around his green head.

"We shall kung fu fight!" he shouted before striking an exaggerated fighting stance.

Sands growled to himself, before rushing at the Mask. He leapt forward and threw a flying kick at the Mask's head. Mask dodged to the side in a blur of motion, before grabbing Sands' leg. With a twist of his arm, he flipped Sands over and slammed him, face first, into the floor. Then, still holding Sands foot, he spun around rapidly, becoming a tornado of motion before letting Sands go, sending him flying across the room and into a wall.

"Your kung fu is weak!" Mask bellowed while flailing his arms about in what was suppose to be an intimidating manner.

Sands rolled to his feet, before rushing the Mask and throwing a flurry of punches and kicks at Mask, but Mask managed to dodge every blow, laughing as he did so. Ducking a punch, Mask thrust a palm into Sands chest, sending the younger men skidding back. As Sands held his chest in pain, Mask rushed him, forming a fist which became surrounded by ethereal flames.

"Shoryuken!" he shouted as he uppercutted Sands with his now flaming fist, sending him flying into the air. Leaping up into the air, the Mask began to spin around rapidly, sticking one of his legs out as he spun.

"Senpukyaku!" he shouted as his footed connected with Sands multiple times, ultimately knocking him to the ground.

Mask landed gracefully again, smiling wickedly as he did.

"Ready to give up, now?" he asked again with a wicked smile.

"Hardly," Sands muttered before he thrust his fists forward, causing two clods of sand to shoot forward. Mask managed to dodge one but was struck in the chest by the second and sent skidding back. Whipping his hand forward, Sands caused the sand at his feet to surge forward. As it approached the Mask, it formed into tendrils that lashed out at him. Mask dodged a few strikes, but one struck him in the stomach, sending him flying into another one that slammed him into the ground.

As he tried to get up, the sand tendril wrapped his ankle and lifted him up before slamming him multiple times into the ground, whipping back and forth as it did so. Then it whirled him around and flung him across the room. With a movement of his hand, Sands caused a wall of sand to spring up in the Masks path, which he slammed into hard.

Mask crumpled to the ground, moaning in pain. At the same time, Sands made a motion with his hands, causing the sand wall to collapse on Mask, burying him. Sands rushed over to where the pile of sand lay and slammed his hands down on the pile, causing it to collapse further.

Sands grunted as he straightened up, rubbing his sore muscles as he did so. Suddenly, the sand exploded outward as Mask burst out of it, uppercutting Sands. The blow knocked the younger man off his feet, sending him flying through the air. He hit the ground with a thud, as his gas mask clattered to the floor nearby.

Mask was by his side in an instant. Grabbing him by his shirt, he hefted Sands into the air. Looking at Sands' face, a look of surprise crossed Mask's face before he spit out the sand in his mouth, striking sands in the face with it.

"You're just a kid!" Mask exclaimed, his eyes bugging out.

"Now you see why I wear a mask," Sands chuckled, "Now let me see why you wear yours."

Sand suddenly swirled around Sands' hands; clumping together to form large, savage claws. Reaching up, Sands grabbed the sides of Mask's head, and dug his claws into the back of Mask's skull. There was a wet ripping noise as Sands pulled, while Mask screamed. Mask's face distorted as Sands peeled the green skin off. There was a flash of energy as Sands completely pulled the skin off, stumbling back as he did. Looking into his hands, he found a simple wood mask. Looking up, he saw a brown haired man kneeling on the floor.

"You know," Sands smirked, "with a name like, "the Mask", makes it kind of obvious something's up with your face."

Sands then whirled around and roundhouse kicked Stanley in the face, causing the man to crumple to the ground, unconscious.

Stooping down, he picked up his gas mask, before looking at it and the simple, wooded mask in his hands. As he did, he heard the tell-tale sounds of the elevator ascending. Smirking, he stepped towards the open elevator shaft.

_Meanwhile_

Hellboy, John and Zatanna were riding the elevator upward to the lobby.

"You think Stanley beat him?" Zatanna aked.

"Stan's tough," John said while taking a drag from his cigarette, "but he's also an idiot."

"I'm more worried what he did to the doors," Hellboy said while staring upwards, where the doors used to be, "That looks expensive."

Then as they were all looking up, they saw something get tossed into the shaft. The object landed with a clatter at their feet. Looking down, they saw the wooden mask lying at their feet.

"Oh crap," Hellboy muttered.

As he said this, Sands leaped down into the shaft. Landing gracefully, he quickly hopped up again and did a split kick, striking John and Hellboy in the chest, knocking them both backward. Zatanna quickly drew her wand, but as she pointed it at him, Sands kicked it out of her hand. It twirled through the air, and Sands caught it easily. Whirling around, he threw it at John, striking him between his eyes.

Hellboy roared as he threw a punch at Sands. Sands ducked the blow and a clump of sand surrounded his hand. He threw a hardened fist at Hellboy's stomach, doubling the larger man over. Sands then uppercutted him, knocking Hellboy back. As Hellboy reeled, Sands grabbed the hem of his jacket, before yanking him forward into a clothesline, knocking Hellboy to the floor.

John quickly drew St. George, and pointed it at Sands. As he pulled the trigger, Sands created a wall of sand between them. The flames from the weapon superheated the sand, instantly turning it to glass. Reacting quickly, Sands leaped over the glass wall and lifted the glass block up. Whipping it around, he hit John across the head with it, shattering the glass and knocking John out.

"John!" Zatanna screamed, before thrusting her hand out. The action caused a blast of invisible force to shoot out. The blast knocked Sands off of his feet, slamming him into the moving wall.

"_Latem! Tcirtsnoc!_" Zatanna enchanted, causing the metal of the wall to bend and contort, grabbing onto Sands. As the elevator kept moving, the new obstruction blocked its path, causing it to screech to a halt. Zatanna stumbled a bit, but managed to keep her footing.

"_Latem! Nurb!_" she screamed. As she did, the metal began to glow red as it heated up. Sands screamed as the metal burnt him. He began to thrash about before he exploded into a cloud of sand. The sand slithered out from the metal constrictors and began pooling in the center of the elevator.

"_Dniwlrihw!_" Zatanna shouted, causing a small tornado to form in the center of the shaft, picking up the sand and whirling it around. Zatanna continued to focus on the whirlwind, causing it to grow continually larger, until heavy winds were blowing all along the shaft as well as the room above.

"Zatanna!" Hellboy yelled as he tried to pick himself up, his hair and jacket blowing in the wind. At the same time, the elevator groaned dangerously.

"Zatanna stop!" He shouted, but he was too late. The elevator shook violently, before it broke off its hinges. There was a loud screeching noise as the platform dragged along the walls of the shaft. Sparks flew as the platform turned to its side, launching them all off the platform. Reacting quickly, Zatanna pulled John to her with her magic.

"_Dnas! Gnidnuorrus erehps!_" she called over the noise around her. At her command, the sand swirled around her and John, forming a large sphere. The ball began to bounce down the slanted shaft, the elevator tumbling behind them. At the same time, Hellboy tumbled down the shaft, crying out in pain as he did so.

Hellboy reached the bottom first, landing in a heap on the floor. He groaned as he pushed himself to his hands and knees. Perking up, he looked up the shaft, before quickly rolling out of the way as the sand ball bounced down the shaft, almost crushing him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the ball bounce to a stop before it crumbled apart, revealing Zatanna and John safe inside.

As he looked at his friends, Hellboy noticed that the agents were still lying about the room, unconscious. Quickly looking back at the shaft, he saw the elevator platform still plummeting downward, sparks shooting as it dragged along the metal walls. Hellboy leapt to his feet before positioning himself as the end of the shaft.

"This is going to suck" he grumbled to himself as he held his hands out in front of himself.

Seconds later, the platform reached the bottom, landing on Hellboy. He grunted in effort and his hands formed dents in the metal. The impact forced him to his knees, and his face was contorted with effort as he held the metal platform up. Growling he rose to his feet, pushing the platform upwards as he did.

Zatanna was so awed by Hellboy's show of strength that she didn't notice the sand around her begin to stir. Slowly it began to pool behind her, and take form. Within seconds, Sands hand reformed himself, though now he had burn marks on his arms where Zatanna had attacked him. Taking advantage of Zatanna's unawareness, Sands kicked her hard in the side of the head. Zatanna left out a cry of surprise and pain as she crumpled to the ground.

"Zatanna!" Hellboy growled as he continued to struggle with the platform.

"You look like you're busy," Sands joked, "I'll just leave you to that."

Sands chuckled as he turned to leave down one of the hallways. As he did, he had a split second to duck as a sword slashed through where his neck had been. Rolling to the side he also managed to avoid the kick Viktor sent at him. Looking past Viktor, Sands saw Etrigan, Johann, Bobo and Jack rushing towards him as well.

Leaping forward, Sands dodged Viktor's follow up attack as he leapt over Etrigan's head. Outstretching his arms, he landed on them before pushing off into the air again, dodging a hellfire blast from Etrigan. As he leapt, Jack and Bobo followed him into the air, leaping off opposite walls of the hallway, trying to pincer him. Kicking out, Sands managed to strike Bobo in the chest, sending him flying away. Jack however managed to sneak under Sands' defenses and punched him in the ribs. Sands cried out in pain as he felt one of his already bruised ribs crack.

He fell to the ground with a thud, the cement floor injuring him further. Before he could worry about his injuries, there was a loud groan from next to him. Looking up he saw a section of the metal wall bulge outward. With a loud snap it sprung free and toppled towards him. Somersaulting forward, Sands dodged out of the way as the wall section fell with a loud bang. A white mist began to leak from the wall section as the others ran towards him.

Forcing himself to his feet, Sands cradled his torso with one arm as he motioned with the other. Instantly, the sand shot out before making a wall between him and his pursuers. Knowing it wouldn't last long, Sands hurried down the hall as Viktor and Etrigan began to break down the wall.

At the end of the hallway was a sealed, metal door. Sands observed it before he glanced back over his shoulder. Seeing the others pursuing, he quickly shifted into a cloud of sand and slid through the cracks of the door. Reforming on the other side, he noticed a panel sitting next to the door. Thrusting his hand out, he forced his sand into the panel, destroying the wiring.

"Open the door!" he heard Viktor's gruff voice yell.

"I can't, he's disabled it somehow!" Bobo yelled back.

"We'll have to go around. Hurry!" Jack shouted before Sands heard their footsteps leading away.

Nodding to himself, Sands began to hobble away. He continued down the hallway, ducking around corners in order to avoid pursuers. He wasn't sure where exactly the Straw Man was but he could feel his presence, and his senses hadn't failed him yet. Feeling the Straw Man's presence grow stronger, he picked up his pace as he ran around the next corner. His reward was a kick to the face.

Stumbling backward, Sands managed to regain his senses, his mask having taken most of the blow. Between him and a large, ornate door was Abe Sapien. Sands could tell he knew how to fight, and straightened up in order to appear more intimidating and uninjured.

"I suggest you surrender," Abe said.

"I suggest you step aside," Sands replied.

"Why are you hunting the Straw Man?" Abe asked.

"Need to know basis, fish-man, and you don't need to know," Sands joked before he leapt at Abe, throwing a kick at his head.

Abe dodged to the side, while throwing an elbow at Sands exposed back. Sands grunted in pain as he fell to the floor. Rolling to his feet, Sands thrust his hand forward, causing a blast of sand to shoot forward at Abe. Abe rolled to the side, and began to rush Sands. Sands made a pulling motion, causing the sand to come flying back. Noticing it, Abe back flipped over the attack, letting it pass him by.

Grasping the sand, Sands shot it at Abe again, while he simultaneously fired another stream of sand as well. The two streams swirled around each other, causing them to corkscrew down the hallway. Abe leaped at the blast of sand, contorting between the two streams of sand. Flipping again, he kicked Sands in the head again, causing him to stumble back.

As Sands stumbled, Abe struck him in the stomach with his fist. As Sands bent over, Abe kneed him in the face, cracking the lenses of his mask. As Sands reeled, Abe swept his legs out from under him. Continuing to spin, Abe flipped over and slammed his leg onto Sands just as he hit the floor. Sands curled up in pain as Abe stood back up.

"It's over," Abe said, stepping on Sands chest in order to insure he stayed down.

"Not quite," Sands choked as he made a pulling motion with his hands. Seconds later, Abe was blindsided by a wave of sand. The force of the blow sent Abe flying forward. He hit the doors hard, throwing them open as he tumbled into the room.

Sands chuckled as he rose to his feet. He limped forward until he stood in the doorway, looking into a library.

"How do you like that!" he shouted, throwing his hands into the air. At that moment, the doors became surrounded by a black aura before they slammed closed, right in his face.

"God damnit!" his shout came from the other side of the door. There was a loud bang as the doors flew open and Sands stomped in. Before him stood Raven, her eyes glowing, and her hands surrounded by her black aura. Looking at her, dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, he cocked his head to the side and chuckled.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" he commented.

"Excuse me?" Raven asked looking at Sands with a confused expression.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" Sands asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Are you…flirting with me?" Raven asked, dropping her hands to her side.

"How could I not, sweet cheeks?" he laughed, "You got a name?"

"It's Raven," she said drolly, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh, Raven huh? We'll pretty birdie, I'm Sands. You doing anything later?"

"You're kidding right?" she asked incredulously, "Is this before or after I kick you out of my home?"

"Oh you live here?" he asked, looking around, "If I had known I would have just knocked."

"Then again," he paused, and Raven could feel his eyes looking her up and down, "maybe not."

Raven grunted in disgust, before she waved her hand, causing the doors to slam shut on Sands again. He cried out with pain before shoving the doors open.

"Alright girl, I tried to be nice, but looks like you like to play rough. We'll I can play rough too. It's just a shame I'll have to mess up that pretty face of yours."

In response, Raven waved her hand again, causing the doors to slam shut a third time.

"Son of a bitch!" Sands bellowed in pain before the doors flew open again and he ran in.

Leaping over a chair, he kicked at Raven, but she blocked it with a conjured shield. Landing, he followed up with a punch, but she blocked that as well. As his fist connected with the shield, it crumpled against the magical barrier. Swearing, he stumbled back, waving his hand in pain.

Taking the opening, Raven thrust with her hand, sending Sands flying backwards, slamming his back into the glass wall of the aquarium. Reaching out with both hands, she made a grabbing motion before pulling her arms back. At the same time, the glass became covered in her black aura, before shattering outward, crushing Sands beneath the water.

Waving her hands about, she caused the pouring water to churn around Sands instead of spreading out. Eventually, the water formed a sphere around Sands, which he thrashed around helplessly in. With a pushing motion, Raven thrust the sphere back into the tank. With another wave of her hand, the broken glass of the tank reformed and repaired itself, sealing Sands and the water back inside. Raven watched as Sands swam up to the top of the tank, where there was about a foot of space for air. The only way in was through an airlock to the side of the tank, and Raven knew he wasn't getting through that any time soon.

"Hey Harry, you can come out now," she said, looking to the side of the room.

Harry peaked down from the stairs leading to her grandfather's office. Nodding, Harry ran down the stairs and over to where Raven was standing.

"Wow, Raven, that was great. Do you think I could learn to do something like that someday?" he asked.

"Well, maybe not that, but close to it," Raven replied.

As the two talked, they failed to notice the tube, normally used to give food to Abe, slowly began to fill with sand. Silently, the sand leaked out onto the floor, before forming back into Sands.

Harry noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see Sands reforming himself.

"Raven, look out!" he shouted, pointing at Sands.

As Raven turned to face him, she was blasted by a blob of sand. The sand constricted around her, pinning her arms and making it hard to breathe.

"Ha!" he laughed, "Didn't know I could do that, did you?"

Holding his hand up, he formed a fist, causing the Sand to constrict around her. Raven let out a choked cry of pain as she thrashed around.

"Don't worry, Raven. I didn't come here to kill anyone. But you're in my way, so…" he gathered another handful of sand in his other hand, as he brought Raven closer to him, "Sweet dreams."

"_Expeliarmus!_" Harry shouted to Sands side. At the same time, the sand in his had burst upwards, scattering about, while the hand controlling the sand around Raven snapped back as if struck, causing the constricting sands to collapse. Raven fell to the floor in a heap and began gasping for air.

"The hell was that!" Sands exclaimed, turning to Harry, who was still pointing his wand at him.

"You want to go, kid?" Sands demanded as he took a step forward. In response, Harry cast another spell. Sands legs suddenly swayed beneath him and he had to grab a nearby chair in order to maintain his balance. Looking down he saw his leg jiggle as if they were made from jello.

"Alright, that's enough" Sands said as he held up his hand, sand gathering before it. Before he could do anything with it though, a hand latched onto his wrist. Looking at it, the hand was covered with a simple working glove. Straw stuck out from its end and a cold liquid oozed from it, running down his arm. Suddenly, he was yanked up, and found himself face to face with the Straw Man.

"How about you pick on someone your own size?" the Straw Man asked, paint oozing out his mouth.

"Hey, you're the Straw Man right? I was sent to talk to you," Sands explained.

"Well you sure picked a bad way of doing it," Straw Man growled.

"Hey, whatever works, right? As long as Dream gets what he wants."

"Oh so you're Dream's new lackey? Can't say I'm surprised."

"Yeah, so how about you let me down, and we can talk?"

Straw Man just laughed in response, a noise that sent chills down Sands spine.

"You think you can just waltz down here and attack my friends, and I won't be upset? Oh no, Dream's lackey or not, you're going to pay your pound of flesh."

Whirling around, Straw Man hurled Sands into a wall. Sands cried out in pain as he hit the wall and crumbled to the floor, his legs still wobbly.

"Alright, if that's the way you want it, fine. But I'm no pushover," Sands snarled.

"I'm sure that would have been a lot more intimidating if you could stand. And I have no doubt you would be a threat if you hadn't just had the crap beaten out of you by my teammates. So how about I uneven the odds?"

Grabbing him again, Straw Man tossed Sands across the room again, straight at a portrait on the wall. Instead of hitting the portrait though, Sands passed through it. Sands hit solid ground on the other side, rolling to a stop.

Pushing himself to his feet, Sands looked around him. The area was dark, with a stormy overcast sky. The ground was barren and dusty, stretching on out of sight. Looking around, he saw an empty stand behind him, with a dead tree looming behind it. Lightning arced in the sky as crows circled overhead.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Straw Man said as he walked out of the shadows.

"Where am I?" Sands asked as he tried to rise to his feet.

"This is my personal realm," Straw Man explained, holding his arms up dramatically.

"So we're in the Dreaming?" Sands asked.

"Very astute of you. Yes this was once part of the Dreaming, but I was able to separate it for my own uses."

"Well, then you must know you're in trouble. Dream has granted me a portion of his powers, so bringing me into the Dreaming only tips things in my favor."

Straw Man merely laughed again, thunder crackling sinisterly as he did so.

"Your really bad at bluffing, you know that? I've watched you fight. Dream gave you the Dreaming Sands, but nothing else. You have no sway over the Dreaming."

Straw Man then snapped his fingers, causing the crows to gather around him. He held one in his hand, and it formed into his scythe. The others took on a liquid composition before they shifted. When they were done changing, a group of eight men, dressed from head to toe in black clothing surrounded Straw Man. They stared at Sands with black eyes as they fingered the large amount of feather-like blades that hung from their belts.

"Show him the meaning of a murder of crows," Straw Man ordered as he shouldered his scythe. The men immediately leaped into action. Half of them drew knifes from their belts at hurled them at Sands, while the other half rushed forward. Sands managed to throw up a wall of sand to block the knives. As he did, the other men rushed around the wall.

Before he could react, one of the men struck Sands in the face, before whirling around and kicking him in the chin. The blow lifted Sands into the air, allowing another of the crow-men to leap over the first's shoulders and drop kicked Sands, sending him flying through the air. As Sands flew through the air, he was struck down by an elbow from another crow-man.

Landing with a thud, Sands groaned in pain, as a fourth crow-man leapt off the third's shoulders and landed hard on Sands back. The fourth stepped off before grabbing Sands arms, while the third grabbed his legs. Swinging him upward, the crow-men threw Sands into the air. As Sands fell through the air, the other crow-men ran up. Four of them shifted forms again, turning into large shuriken. Picking them up, the other crow-men hurled them upwards at Sands. As Sands fell, the blades cut through him, leaving gashes in his body. The crow-men then transformed back, before all eight of them threw their blades, cutting Sands even more.

At that time Straw Man leaped into the air over Sands. Drawing the crow-men to himself, they formed into their ink-like form before gathering around his scythe. Swinging it down, he created a large slash of blackness that shot downward. The attack hit Sands hard, dragging him down until he hit ground, which rippled instead of cracking. As he lay their, Straw Man fell from the sky and landed hard on his chest.

Stepping off, Straw Man stood to the side as his servants gathered around him, transforming back into crows.

"I know you're here to recruit me. Dream wants to know whose side I'm on in the coming war. You can tell him that the Straw Man, the Fear Lord, is on his side. You can also tell him that he can talk to me himself next time. And as for you, though we both answer to Dream now, you belong to me now."

As he talked, he leaned over Sands. Sands could see his mouth was filled with various beetles. As he finished talking, he suddenly vomited the beetles onto Sands. The beetles swarmed all over Sands, crawling all over. Sands began to scream as he felt them biting him, burrowing into his skin. And through it all he could see Straw Man standing over him, grinning down at him while lighting cracked behind him.

_Later_

"I told you, I'm fine dad," Raven groaned as Hellboy sat beside her.

"And I think you might have a cracked a rib," Hellboy said sternly.

As they talked in the library, the others were gathered there as well. Manning and the Professor were standing in front of the Straw Man's painting, examining it.

"So how do you think the creepy freak's doing?" Manning asked.

"I'm doing quite fine, thank you" Straw Man said as he stuck his head out of the painting. Manning cried out in surprise and stumbled backwards. Straw stepped out of the painting and the others gathered around him.

"Straw, did you beat him?" Raven asked.

"Yeah," Straw said, frowning.

"So where is he?" Hellboy asked.

"I let him go," Straw answered.

"What? Why the hell did you do that!" Manning demanded.

"Trust me, you don't want his boss trying to break him out," Straw said sternly.

"Who does he work for?" Professor Buttenholm asked.

"Dream of the Endless, he sent him here to recruit me. I guess Dream hasn't gotten anymore personable then when I last saw him."

"Recruit you for what?" Harry asked.

"There's a civil war brewing in the Dreaming, one that it looks like I've been dragged into."

"Can ve help?" Johann asked.

"No you don't want a part of this," Straw said, before producing a sheet of paper, "Anyway, here are a sketch of his face and his prints."

"How'd you get these?" Manning asked as he took them.

"I'm practically made of ink, remember?"

"What about Sands?" Raven asked.

"It won't be the last time we see him. But I left him a present before I sent him on his way," Straw explained, smiling sinisterly.

_Unknown location_

Sands lay on a bed in a dark room. He had removed his shirt and mask, and was sleeping fitfully. On his back, dozens of tattooed beetles crisscrossed his skin. Eventually, they gathered together just below the base of his spine, forming a large, beetle tattoo, which clacked its mandibles and twitched its legs before settling down. Sands whimpered slightly as nightmares plagued his sleep.

A/N: Hey, so this chapter took a little longer then expected but it was fun to write. Sands is my reimagining of DC's Sandman character. This is also the first crossover of my stories, as Sands will be the main protagonist of one of my future stories. So I hoped you like him! Also felt that I needed to add a good action chapter after all the exposition I've been doing lately. Christmas chapter next, so that should be fun. Until next time, Later True Believers!


	12. Christmas Spirit

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 12: Christmas Spirit**

_December 24__th__, 2012_

Harry smiled as he looked up at the Christmas tree in the middle of the library, sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs. The lights twinkled, and reflected off the various ornaments hanging from its branches. Tinsel constricted around the tree like ivy, and at the very top, just touching the ceiling, was a golden star.

"Wow," Harry said in awe, "This is really something, Mr. Sapien."

"Indeed it is. Zatanna always does a marvelous job conjuring a tree, and the decorations always look splendid," Abe replied from his tank.

"Does Mr. Chimp always have trouble putting on the star?" Harry asked, recalling an event when the tree was still being set up.

"No, someone greased the top this year. No one's confessed to it, but it was probably either Straw or Mask," Abe sighed, "Like it always is."

Harry smiled as he got up from the chair. He'd seen first hand how devious the Mask and Straw Man could be with their pranks. If someone gave the Weasley twins super powers, they would probably end up with something like the pair.

"I'll see you later, Mr. Sapien," Harry said with a wave, receiving a nod in turn.

As Harry walked towards the door, he glanced at the bottom of the tree. Dozens of presents littered the ground underneath its branches. There were literally piles of them. What really got to Harry though, was that some of them were for him. To say that Christmas at the Dursley's was disappointing would be an understatement. Now, Harry was brimming with excitement, the first time he could ever remember feeling excited over Christmas.

Opening the doors, Harry began walking down the hallway. Looking around, he couldn't help but smile at the decorations that had been put up. It didn't seem like any government building Harry had ever seen, but the B.P.R.D. was definitely not like any government agency he had heard of either.

As he walked down the hall, he smiled and greeted the agents who passed him by. Many were still sporting injuries from the fight with Sands earlier that month, but they were healing nicely. As a matter of fact, Harry was surprised at how easily the Bureau had recovered from the attack. It seemed like the next day the elevator was fixed and everything went back to normal. Harry mentally shrugged, guessing it was just magic or something.

Continuing down the hall, he saw Agent Manning coming from the opposite way, his nose buried in some file.

"Happy Christmas, Agent Manning," Harry said cheerfully.

"Yeah, whatever," Manning grumbled as he walked past, not even looking at Harry.

Harry frowned, feeling a little putout, but brightened up after a second. As grumpy as Agent Manning was, he was still better then the Dursleys.

Turning a corner, he saw John walking down the hallway. As per usual, he had a cigarette in his mouth, but what caught Harry's attention was the hat on his head.

"I didn't think you were the festive sort, Mr. Constantine," Harry commented, pointing at the red and white hat on John's head.

"Consider it a memento to one of the few good forces in this crummy world," John explained, playing with the end of the hat. Noticing Harry giving him an odd look, he waved his hand dismissively.

"Never mind. Besides don't we have a party to get too?" John asked.

"I was going to head over there, but I wanted to find Raven first," Harry explained.

"Alright. I think she's in her room," John said as he began to walk away, "Later, kid."

Harry nodded, before continuing down the hallway. After weaving through the maze that was the Bureau, Harry came upon the door to Raven's room. A tile on the front read her name, while caution tape crisscrossed the door. Harry smirked before knocking on the door.

"Come in!" he heard from the other side of the door.

Opening the door, Harry found himself in Raven's bedroom. It was a relatively small room, with concrete walls and no windows, much like Harry's. In the corner, opposite the door, sat Raven's circular bed. Next to it sat a desk, covered in various papers from Hogwarts, as well as a computer and tele. In the corner across from Raven's bed was a bookcase, bursting to the brim with books. The final corner was occupied by a wardrobe. On the wall above Raven's bed were three posters. One was of a band called the Weird Sisters. Next to it was a poster for a band called Mucous Membrane. The final poster was one for a Quidditch team called the Holyhead Harpies.

Raven sat cross legged on her bed, dressed in black pants and a red and green sweater. She was talking on the phone, but smiled as Harry walked in.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Dad thought I had broke a rib but it turned out there was just some bruising. Alright. Well, I have to go to the Christmas party anyway. Talk to you soon. Merry Christmas, Liz." Raven said before hanging up the phone.

"Hey, Harry. Ready for the party?" she asked.

"Yeah," Harry replied, before scratching the back of his head, "If you don't mind me asking, who was that?"

"Oh, that was Liz. She used to live here, but she decided to uh, leave," Raven explained, looking down at her lap.

"She's a friend of yours?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, you could say that," she said with a smile, before hopping off her bed, "Now come on, we don't want to be late, do we?"

"Nope," Harry replied with a smile of his own, before they both turned and headed out the door.

_Later_

The library was packed full of people celebrating the holidays. Everyone was chatting and laughing, while sipping eggnog and eating treats. The entire atmosphere felt very happy to Harry, and he loved every second of it.

"Having a good time, Harry?" Professor Buttenholm asked, walking over to where Harry was.

"Yes, Professor," Harry replied.

"That's good," the Professor said, before looking around the room, "You wouldn't happen to have seen my son, would you?"

Harry was about to say no when the doors to the library suddenly burst open. Looking, Harry saw Hellboy come in, dressed as Father Christmas. He wore a fake white beard around his face, as well as a red hat, jacket and pants with white trim. He also wore black boots and one black glove, his stone hand remaining uncovered. He carried a large white sack over his shoulder.

"Ho, Ho, Ho!" he bellowed, "Merry Christmas!"

Everyone cheered and applauded as Hellboy walked in and everyone gathered around him. Putting his sack on the ground, he opened the sack and began to hand out presents. Harry smiled before approaching Hellboy.

"Merry Christmas, little boy," Hellboy smiled, handing Harry a present.

"Happy Christmas," Harry replied, taking the present.

Walking over to one of the chairs, he sat down and began to open it. As he did, Raven sat down on the arm of the chair and looked over his shoulder as he looked at the present.

"Hey, a Gameboy," she commented, "Pretty cool."

"Wow," Harry said, looking at the box in his hands.

"Can't be a little kid now days, without one of those," Raven said as she ruffled his hair affectionately, "to bad electronics don't work at Hogwarts."

Harry just laughed as he looked up at her.

_Later_,

The party continued on, with everyone laughing and enjoying each others company. Straw had convinced Stanley to put on the mask, and the two of them had somehow found a karaoke machine. They were currently in the middle of a rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside" much to Harry's amusement.

"Hey, Harry," Raven said, coming over to him and whispering in his ear conspiratorially, "want to help me with something?"

"Uh, sure?" Harry whispered back, sounding confused.

"Alright, follow me," she said, motioning him to follow her.

Leading the way, Raven left the library through one of the side doors. They walked through some of the hallways until Harry realized they were circling around to another entrance of the library. As they were about to round a corner, Raven suddenly put her hand up signaling for him to stop.

Motioning him to come forward, Raven peeked around the corner. Harry looked as well. At the end of the hallway, John and Zatanna were standing in the open doorway, watching Mask and Straw as they sang.

"Alright, I'm going to need you to keep watch," Raven instructed him.

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked.

Raven just smiled as she held up two items. In her right hand was a single nail, in her left was a strand of mistletoe. Harry grinned and stifled a laugh as he realized what she was going to do.

With Harry watching for anyone approaching, Raven surrounded the two items with her aura before sending them floating gently down the hallway. Easing them above the two magic users' heads, she raised the mistletoe so it sat above them on the doorframe before jabbing the nail into it with a hard thunk.

The noise caught Zatanna's attention. She glanced up, raising an eyebrow when she noticed the mistletoe hanging above her.

"Hey John," she said, catching his attention, before pointing up "Got an explanation?"

"How the bloody hell did that get there?" he asked, looking at it with a confused expression.

Glancing down the hallway, Zatanna caught a hint of movement. Smirking, she turned her eyes back to John.

"You tell me," she said, crossing her arms.

"Zee, you can't possibly think-" he was caught off guard as Zatanna quickly kissed him. Smiling, she turned and walked away, heading into the library.

"Happy Christmas, John," she said with a smirk.

"Happy Christmas indeed," John replied, still reeling.

_Later_

"Raven, why are we still up?" Harry yawned, dressed in a t-shirt and pajama pants and sitting cross legged in front of the fireplace.

"You'll see," Raven replied, in her own sleep wear, "Trust me, it's the best part of the night."

Harry just shrugged before turning to face the fire again. As he did, he caught movement from his other side. Turning, he slightly jumped when he found Straw Man sitting cross-legged next to him, staring eagerly at the fire.

"Ah!' he said in surprise, "What are you doing here!"

"Are you kidding?" Straw replied, "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Harry was about to ask what he was talking about when the sound of a loud thump came from above. Looking up, he looked at the ceiling with confusion.

"Raven, how high is the roof?" he asks.

"Like twenty stories or so," Raven answered, not looking away from the fire.

Before Harry could question further, a cold gust of wind shot out from the fireplace, extinguishing the fire and blowing the others back slightly. As the air settled, there was a loud thud, as the wood was crushed beneath two large black boots. A person bent down and exited the fireplace, before straightening up, allowing Harry to see him better.

He was a large man, both in height and in girth. We wore a red jacket with matching pants, both lined with white fur. He wore a black belt around his large waist and black gloves to go with his shoes. He also wore a red stocking hat with a white ball at the end. He had white hair, and a bushy white beard. His blue eyes seemed to twinkle and his cheeks were rosy from the cold. He had a large, white sac flung over his shoulder which was almost bursting at the seams.

"Father Christmas," Harry whispered as he stared up at him in awe.

"Ho, ho, ho!" he laughed heartedly, "What have we here? I'm used to children waiting up for me, but it's odd when they're out numbered by older folks."

"SANTA!" Straw yelled as he hopped to his feet and rushed over to the man, wrapping his arms around him in a bear hug.

"Oh!" Santa said in surprise, "Um, hello to you too, Straw.

"Still quite excitable, is he?" Santa asked looking over at Raven.

"Can you blame him?" Raven asked.

"After what happened, no I suppose not," Santa replied before gently pushing Straw Man away.

"Aren't you a little old for waiting up for me?" he asked.

"I wanted to introduce you to someone," Raven replied, before motioning to Harry.

"Harry Potter," Santa greeted, smiling down at the boy.

"You know my name?" Harry asked.

"I'm Father Christmas, am I not?" Santa questioned jokingly.

"Right," Harry said, scratching his head, embarrassed.

"So I'm sure you must have questions," Santa stated as he dropped his sack to the ground.

"Well," Harry began, but Santa held up his hand to stop him.

"What you should know first is that if you as ask me a question, you forgo your present for the year," Santa explained.

"Alright," Harry said, taking a deep breath, "I want to ask you a question."

"And what's that Harry?" Santa questioned.

"Where were you the past Christmases?" He asked looking at floor, "Why didn't you visit me at the Dursleys?"

Santa chuckled as he looked down at the boy.

"You think I forgot about you, Harry?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye.

Harry just looked up at Santa with a confused expression.

"I never forget someone who believes in me," Santa said with a smile, "I'm not a fool Harry. I know those vile relatives of yours would have had taken anything I would have left for you. So I had to use this old noggin of mine to figure out the best way to get them to you. Do you remember that stuffed bear you found on a park bench?"

"That was you?" Harry asked in wonderment.

"And that blanket you found tucked into the corner of your cupboard one cold winter night? That was me as well."

Santa placed a hand on Harry's shoulder comfortingly.

"Sometimes if you do things right, no one will know you've done anything at all," Santa commented with a chuckle.

"Thank you," Harry said with a smile, looking up at the jolly man.

"It's what I do, Harry," Santa said with a shrug, "Now, I guess I'll have to hold on to your gift this year."

"That's alright, Father Christmas," Harry said, "This is already the best Christmas I can remember,"

"Now that's the spirit."

_Later that day_

Harry yawned as he sat in one of the library's over stuffed chairs. He had still not fully recovered from his night seeing Father Christmas. All around him, the members of the B.P.R.D. were sitting around, enjoying each others company as they opened gifts. Harry had received a number of toys and pieces of clothing, along with a few books.

"Harry," the Professor said, catching Harry's attention, "Seeing as you have finished with our presents, you'd like to open the ones from back in Britain."

At the same moment, Hellboy came over to where Harry was sitting, carrying a box full of presents.

"Wow," Harry whispered in amazement before digging in. He smiled as he opened and examined them. A wooden flute from Hagrid. A sweater from Ron and his family. A book titled "The History of Quidditch" from Hermione. A sack of treats from Misty. Finally, a leather helmet from Tim, with the note "Just in case the broom doesn't hold up."

Harry smiled as he looked at each of them, before he noticed one left at the bottom of the box. Picking it up, he read the tag out loud.

"This once belonged to your father. I thought it was time I past it on to you," Harry read, before looking at it with a confused expression, "There's no name."

"Open it up," Raven insisted.

Harry opened it, revealing a shimmering, grey cloak.

"It's a cloak," Harry said.

"Try it on," Hellboy suggested.

Throwing the cloak around his shoulders, he tied it around his neck and the cloak covered his body. As it did, his body from the neck down suddenly disappeared from sight.

"Whoa," Raven said, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Bloody Hell," John said in awe, "It's an invisibility cloak. I forgot your father had one of those."

"Wow," Harry said as he took the cloak off and looked at it.

"Now, that you've opened you're presents Harry," the Professor began, getting Harry's attention, "I'd like to ask you about something."

"What's that, Professor?" Harry asked.

"Did you enjoy your stay here?" Trevor asked.

"Of course!" Harry exclaimed, thoughts of all the good times he had had with the group over the past few months.

"Well, I discussed this with Professor Dumbledore before coming back here, and he agreed on it, but ultimately left it in your hands."

"Left what in my hands?" Harry asked.

"Harry, would you like to stay here? To move away from the Dursleys and live here at the Bureau while not at Hogwarts," Trevor explained.

Harry just stared at the Professor with wide eyes, as tears began to well up in them. Looking down at his feet, he wiped his eyes.

"That'd be wonderful, Professor," he said with a sniff, "Thank you,"

"Think nothing of it," Trevor said, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry smiled as he looked around the room, finding many of the other's in the room smiling back at him.

"Merry Christmas, kid," Hellboy said with a smirk.

"Happy Christmas, everyone," Harry replied.

A/N: Bit of a short one, but how can you beat Christmas in July? Maybe I'll get it during the right time of the year next time. Hope you enjoy this chapter, I found it pretty enjoyable to write. As a side note, Santa is based off of how he appears in the Fables comics. Next time, back to Hogwarts! Until then, Later, True Believers!


	13. Mirror, Mirror

**Chapter 13: Mirror, Mirror**

_January 5__th__, 2013, Hogwarts_

Harry smiled as he chatted with Ron and Tim in their room. They all had returned that day and classes would resume the next day. The damage done to the castle had been repaired, and it had returned to its former glory. Harry was busy telling his friends what he had done over his vacation.

"So you actually used the Jelly-Leg Jinx on this guy?" Ron asked, "Bloody Hell, that must have taken some guts from what you've told us about this git."

"Thanks," Harry said, scratching the back of his head, "Still if Straw hadn't showed up, Sands would have pounded me into the ground."

"I bet," Tim chuckled, "So did you get anything interesting for Christmas?"

"Yeah," Harry said as he walked over to the trunk. Rummaging through it, he pulled out the invisibility cloak.

"Whoever sent it didn't leave their name, but they said it belonged to my father," he said as he put it on. The other two gasped in surprise as Harry disappeared from view.

"An invisibility cloak!" Ron exclaimed.

"Whoa, that's pretty awesome," Tim said.

"I bet you could get around the whole castle without anyone noticing you. Not even Filch!" Ron exclaimed.

"Is that a challenge?" Harry asked, lowering his hood and smiling mischievously.

"Oh, I got a challenge," Tim smirked.

_Later_

Harry breathed lightly beneath his cloak. He was currently hiding in one of the darkened corners of the castle, trying to remain as stealthy as possible. He was starting to question whether this was a good idea or not.

Tim had heard that even though Filch is a squib, he was still trying to learn magic from a book specifically designed to help squibss. Tim dared Harry to go see if it was true. So here Harry was, silently moving through the halls towards Filch's quarters.

The halls of the castle were incredibly creepy at night. They were dark and empty, with every sound echoing down the hall. The atmosphere was spooky, and it didn't help that Harry knew that ghosts roamed the hall, or worse, that Straw had come back with them.

Easing his way down the hallways, Harry made his way to the door leading to Flich's room. Freezing in place, Harry saw the door was closed and tried to figure out how to get past the door without getting caught. In the end, he just settled on just knocking on the door.

As soon as he did, he heard footsteps rushing towards the door before it was flung open. Filch stood before him, brandishing a shotgun, Mrs. Norris at his feet.

"Who's there!" he demanded, looking around wildly.

Harry let out a small yelp of surprise as he leaped backwards.

"I can hear you! Invisible, eh? Peeves if that's you, I've been designing a gun that'll let me kill you a second time!" Filch shouted into the darkness.

Harry tried to silently sneak away, but Mrs. Norris suddenly turned in his direction, letting out a loud hiss as she arched his back. Filch turned and pointed his gun in Harry's direction. Harry in turn, whirled around and raced away down the hallway.

Harry breathed quickly as he hustled down the hall, hearing the booming of Filch's boots behind him. He had to hide. Seeing an unmarked door to his right, he rushed over to it. Grabbing his door, he pulled, but found it locked. Whipping out his wand, he pointed it at the lock.

"_Alahmora_" he whispered, causing the lock to glow before clicking open. Harry quickly pulled it open before ducking inside and gently pulling it closed. Harry tried to remain utterly quite as he placed his ear against the door, listing as Filch's footsteps boomed past before fading away. As Harry let out a sigh as a sense of _deja vous_ swept over him.

Remembering what happened last time he ran into a strange room, he whirled around and examined it. Luckily, there was no giant, three headed dog guarding a trap door. Instead there was a largely empty room, the only thing of interest being a large covered piece of furniture.

Harry couldn't explain it, but he felt something urging him to uncover whatever what was beneath the covering. Letting his cloak down, Harry pulled the covering off, revealing a large ornate mirror beneath it. Above the glass was written "_erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_"

Harry slowly, almost reverently touched the glass. Suddenly, Harry saw two people walk up behind him in the reflection. Whirling around, Harry found the room completely empty. Turning back, he looked at the two people.

There was a man and a woman apparently in their early twenties wearing black cloaks. The man had short, black hair, and wore glasses over his brown eyes. The woman was pretty, with auburn hair that came down to her shoulders, and familiar green eyes. They were both smiling at him and the man placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry jerked in surprise at the phantom weight and looked over at his shoulder, just to check to see if there really was a hand there.

Turning back, a thought came to Harry as he looked at the phantom reflections.

"You're my parents, aren't you?" he asked.

They nodded and smiled at him.

Harry felt tears well up in his eyes as he sat down in front of the mirror. He lost all sense of time as he sat before that mirror, staring into its reflective depths.

_The next night_

"Come on guys," Harry muttered beneath the cloak as he entered the room. Closing the door, he flung off the cloak, revealing Tim and Ron with him.

"It's right over here," Harry explained eagerly, walking over to the mirror and uncovering it.

"Come on!" Harry said, beckoning his friends over.

Grabbing Ron by the shoulders, he positioned him in front of the mirror.

"There do you see them?" Harry asked excitedly.

"See who Harry?" Ron asked.

"My parents!" Harry exclaimed, pointing at the mirror.

"There's no one there, Harry. Just me," he said before he examined the mirror more closely, "But I look taller then normal, and older. And I'm Headboy! And Captain of the Quidditch Team. Dumbledore's there and he's shaking my hand. I think I won the Quidditch Cup!"

"What?" Harry questioned, looking at Ron with a confused face before turning to Tim, "Tim, you try"

Tim nodded before stepping in front of the mirror, having to gently push Ron out of the way.

"What do you see?" Ron asked.

"I see," Tim said gently, almost whispering, "my mother."

"Your mother?" Harry asked.

"She died, years ago," Tim said, reaching out for the mirror while shaking his head. Suddenly, he pulled his hand back as if it had been burned, while shaking his head vigorously.

"I don't like this, Harry," Tim said, quickly stepping to the side so he wasn't in front of the mirror any longer, "I think we should leave."

"I…I don't understand," Harry whispered to himself, scratching his head in confusion.

"Come on, Harry," Ron said while placing his hand on Harry's shoulder, snapping Harry back to reality. "Tim's right, we should probably be getting back."

"Right," Harry replied, unfurling the invisibility cloak before taking one last glance at the mirror, "Let's go."

_The next night_

Harry wasn't sure what he was doing. All he knew is that he couldn't stop thinking about the mirror, or what he saw in it. So here he was again, sitting in front of the mirror in the dead of night, staring into it's depths with his invisibility cloak pooled around him. He couldn't even remember the trip here, so engrossed with thoughts of the mirror he was.

Confusion still ate away at the back of his thoughts. Why had Tim and Ron seen something different then what he had seen? The mirror was obviously magical, that was certain, but what did it do exactly?

"Hello, Harry," a voice said from behind Harry.

Letting out a yelp of fright, Harry jumped to his feet and whirled around. Before him stood Professor Dumbledore.

"P-Professor!" Harry exclaimed in surprise.

"Mr. Filch said I would find you here tonight," Dumbledore mused.

"Filch?" Harry asked, his face paling.

"Yes, Mr. Filch is a bit more experienced and knowledgeable then you might think," Dumbledore explained.

"So I see you found the Mirror of Ersid," Dumbledore continued.

"The Mirror of Ersid?" Harry asked.

"It's magical, as you can tell. It reflects not you, but your heart's desire," Dumbledore explained.

"Your heart's desire?" Harry whispered to himself.

"What do you see in the mirror, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"…My parents," Harry said, looking at his feet.

"Of course," Dumbledore replied, smiling sadly.

"What do you see Professor?" Harry asked suddenly.

"…Socks," said after a long look at the mirror.

"Socks?" Harry questioned.

"One can never have too many socks," Dumbledore explained, "I didn't get any for Christmas, everyone assumed I wanted books."

Harry smirked before glancing back at the mirror.

"They're not real, Harry," Dumbledore said cautiously, "The mirror shows neither knowledge, nor truth, only desires. Men have wasted away in front of it."

"Why is it here?" Harry asked.

"For safe keeping," Dumbledore explained, "I wouldn't come looking for it again. I feel it needs to be moved."

"Yes, sir," Harry replied, slightly ashamed.

"Now, would you please come with me to my office, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, opening the door to the room.

"Yes, sir," Harry agreed, gulping with nervousness.

Dumbledore stepped aside to let Harry pass. As he did, he took one last glance at the mirror. He was surprised when he saw that the glass was glowing a slight green, and he swore he could hear faint whispering. But as soon as it had begun, the glowing and whispering stopped.

Shaking his head slightly, Dumbledore gave the mirror a questioning glance, before following Harry out the door.

_Dumbeldore's office_

"Do you know why I brought you here, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Because I was out after curfew?" Harry guessed.

"No, Harry," Dumbledore chuckled, "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Well, you," Dumbledore explained.

"Me?" Harry questioned.

Dumbledore sighed before continuing, "Do you know why Voldemort came to your house the night he killed your parents?"

Harry sat in his chair for a few moments in stunned silence.

"N-No, sir" he finally managed to answer.

"Well the answer is twofold. The first reason is more obvious. Your parents were members of the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore explained.

"The Order of the Phoenix?" Harry questioned.

"It was an organization I created to battle Lord Voldemort. Your friends Ron and Neville's parents were part of it as well."

"What was the other reason?" Harry asked.

"Do you know what a prophecy is?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Yes. It's when someone predicts the future isn't it?" Harry responded.

"Yes, it is. Well among the unique abilities some wizard's posses the ability to make prophecies," Dumbledore explained.

"What does it have to do with me?" Harry questioned.

"When you were born, a prophecy was made," Dumbledore said, sighing before he continued, "One involving you and Voldemort."

"Me and…Voldemort?"

"Yes"

"What did it say?"

"It said that a wizard had been born who could defeat Voldemort, and that only one of you could live."

"So Voldemort came…because he was trying to kill me?" Harry asked, his eyes wide.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied solemnly.

"So my parents are dead…because of me?" Harry asked, sorrow in his voice.

"What?" Dumbledore said, rising from his chair, "By all means, no Harry."

"But you said Voldemort killed my parents because-"

"Because he was a horrible human being who was afraid of and willing to kill a child," Dumbledore interrupted, walking around the desk and placing his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Your parents' death was never your fault, and it never will be your fault," Dumbledore said comfortingly.

Harry sniffed, and rubbed his eyes, wiping the tears that threatened to spill down his cheek.

"So, I guess you thought I fulfilled the prophecy?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I did," Dumbledore responded while straightening up, "But recent events have made me reconsider."

"Was that his ghost that was controlling Professor Quirrel?" Harry asked.

"No, but it was certainly something like his spirit. It appears Voldemort is not dead, but he is not fully alive either."

"How is that possible?" Harry asked.

"I have some ideas, but I'm not entirely certain," Dumbledore answered, "The point is that I believe it is likely Voldemort might return sometime in the future."

"And you think I'll have to fight him?" Harry asked.

"Most certainly," Dumbledore responded, "which is why we must start training you."

"Training me?" Harry asked.

"I had wished to give you a proper childhood, Harry, but others have pointed me to the reality of the situation. Voldemort may very well return, and he will come after you if he does. So you must be prepared to face him when he does," Dumbledore explained, walking back to the other side of his desk.

"So are you going to train me?" Harry asked, slightly eager.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that personally, it could be misconstrued as some type of favoritism, which would be very inappropriate for a headmaster such as myself. I train your friend Tim because his powers could be a threat to the safety of others, not to make him a better wizard, for example."

"Oh," Harry replied, sadly.

"Luckily, you are now staying with the B.P.R.D. and as such you have access to a number of skilled trainers, including your friend Raven."

"Raven's going to train me?" Harry asked, excited.

"Indeed, I have already discussed with her, and she has agreed to act as your tutor."

"Wow," Harry said smiling brightly.

"It's good to see you are so eager to learn," Dumbledore commented, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Well, if Voldemort ever does come for me, I want to be ready for him, sir," Harry explained.

"That is very courageous of you, Harry," Dumbledore commented.

"Thank you sir," Harry smiled, "Um, is that all?"

"Yes, Harry you may leave, but do so quietly," Dumbledore said, making a shooing motion at him.

Harry smiled before standing up and whirling the cloak over himself, disappearing from view.

"Actually Harry, I'd like to say one more thing," Dumbledore said as Harry reached the door.

"What's that, sir?" Harry asked, dropping the hood of the cloak so Dumbledore could see him.

"I'm sorry," he said, his face saddening.

"Sorry for what, sir?" Harry asked, confused.

"Sorry for placing you at the Dursley's," he explained, "and for not taking you away from them sooner."

"It's alright, sir," Harry replied, "I'm sure you had more important things to worry about."

"That's no excuse, Harry," Dumbledore waved off Harry's reply, "I still should have checked in on you and made sure you were safe."

"But you're the reason I'm not there anymore. If you hadn't sent Hagrid and June after me, I might still be with them."

"I suppose that's true," Dumbledore relented.

"Well, good night sir. And thank you. For everything," Harry said with a smile, before putting his hood back up and disappearing through the door.

Dumbledore smiled before leaning back in his chair. Letting out a sigh, Dumbledore closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the portraits of his predecessors sleeping. Albus had grown quite foreign to the feeling of contentment, so he decided to enjoy it while the feeling lasted.

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, life kept getting in the way. Also, I hope you guys liked how Dumbledore's confession came out. It's been building up for awhile now so I hope it was what was expected. I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner this time. Until then, Later True Believers!


	14. The Egg

**Chapter 14: The Egg**

_March 23__rd__, 2013,_

Raven and Harry sat in Harry's room, cross-legged with a book in between them. Both of them had their wands out and Raven was teaching Harry some new spells.

"Now, the _Lumos _spell is a very handy to have. You never know when you're going to find yourself in pitch darkness, magical or not," Raven lectured, pointing with her wand.

"Right," Harry nodded.

"Now watch me and then repeat," Raven instructed, before giving her wand a quick flick "_Lumos!_"

As soon as the spell was cast, the tip of her wand began to glow with the intensity of a flashlight.

"Wow," Harry said, amazed, before performing the same action with his own wand, "_Lumos!_"

Harry smiled as his wand began to glow with the same intensity as Raven's.

"Very good!" Raven congratulated him, "Now, the _Lumos _spell can be improved to have combat uses. All you need to do is add a little more power to it. Now don't look directly at my wand as I do this."

Raven held her wand above her head, before making the same flicking motion.

"_Lumos Maxima!_" she shouted. At the same time, the door to Harry's room opened.

"Hey Harry wh-AUGGH!" Tim shouted as he was blinded by the brilliant light shining from Raven's wand. Covering his eyes with both hands, he stumbled forward, until he reached one of the beds. Grabbing hold of its frame, he steadied himself as he pulled his hand away from his eyes, blinking rapidly as he tried to regain his sight.

"Oh, crap! Sorry about that Tim!" Raven said, rushing over to him, her face stricken.

"What was that!" Tim demanded, as he continued blinking rapidly.

"The _Lumos Maxima _spell. I was teaching it to Harry," Raven explained.

"Merlin's Beard, it's like the sun exploded in my face," Tim commented, before giving his eyes another rub, "Okay, I think I'm alright now."

"Sorry about that," Raven apologized.

"Don't worry about it," Tim waved the apology off.

"So how was your training with Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Pretty good, I'm getting the hand of using my magic to do more precise things," Tim stated as he sat on his bed.

"Cool, like what?" Harry questioned.

Scrunching his face in concentration, Tim held his hand out towards Harry, making a gripping motion. Suddenly, Harry's wand jerked out of his hand and flew across the room into Tim's.

"Like that," Tim said, huffing as if he was out of breath, twirling Harry's wand with his fingers, before tossing it back to Harry.

"Cool," Harry replied, grabbing his wand.

"Yeah, but it's not easy. Not yet anyway," Tim explained, "So come on, Harry. Try that super light spell."

"Alright," Harry said, holding his wand over his head and closing his eyes, "_Lumos Maxima!_"

"Hey Raven, heard you were-OH GOD, I'M BLIND!" Daimon yelled as he walked into the room. He quickly covered his eyes with his hands before stumbling back out again. The three watched the door for a moment before a resounding crash came from outside, followed by Daimon's scream of pain, causing them all to wince.

_Later,_

The four of them, now accompanied by Ron, Hermione, Misty, Sebastian, Wanda, and Gemma, made their way down towards Hagrid's hut.

"So what did, Hagrid want?" Raven asked.

"I don't know. I would have told you that already, but _somebody_ blinded me!" Daimon grumbled.

"Hey, it was an accident!" Harry shouted back.

"Yeah, cool your jets Daimon," Wanda said with a glare, "Besides, no one is suppose to know we're here remember?"

"Whatever," Daimon grunted.

The continued on their way to Hagrid's hut the sun setting behind the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid stood at his door as they walked up, quickly gesturing for them to come in.

"Keep quiet now, ye 'ear?" Hagrid instructed.

"What's with all the secrecy, Hagrid?" Gemma asked.

"Is that what I think it is!" Hermione shouted, pointing at an object on Hagrid's table.

Sitting on the table, on a frying pan, was a large, black egg. At least it would be black if it weren't glowing red from heat. It seemed to be moving as if something to be trying to get out.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"A dragon egg," Sebastian stated, "Hagrid, how did you get it?"

"I…uh, bough' it?" Hagrid lied.

"Hagrid, you can't buy those, they're illegal!" Hermione explained.

"She's right Hagrid," Daimon said, "How did you really get it?"

"I got it from a man I met in tha bar down in 'ogsmade" he explained with sigh.

"What man?" Raven asked.

"I don' know. 'e was wearin' a 'ood an' I may 'ave been a little drunk," Hagrid said with a sigh.

"Why did he give you the dragon egg?" Wanda asked.

""E said 'e was a lover of animals like me. 'E kept askin' questions 'bout Fluffy," Hagrid explained.

"Fluffy?" Gemma asked.

"Wait, you named that giant, three headed dog, Fluffy!" Ron said, incredulously.

"Aye," Hagrid nodded, before a confused looked crossed his face, "Wait, 'ow do you know 'bout Fluffy?"

"We've run into him before," Misty explained.

"You've been keeping a giant, three headed dog in the castle?" Daimon asked.

"Aye," Hagrid answered.

"What did you tell him?" Harry asked.

"Basic things. What I feed 'im, 'ow I groom 'im, tha' music puts 'im right ta sleep," Hagrid explained before realization crossed his face, "I shouln't a told 'im tha'"

"No, you shouldn't have," Hermione commented, "But still, I bet I could guess who this stranger was."

"Quirrel," Ron snarled.

"Aye," Hagrid nodded, "Though I suppose we don' 'ave ta worry 'bout 'im anymore."

"Yeah, but Dumbledore said Vol…You-Know-Who, might still be out there," Harry commented.

"Right, but he doesn't have Quirrel anymore. So he doesn't have his inside man in the castle anymore," Raven said.

"That's true," Harry replied.

"Hey Hagrid," Daimon said, standing next to the table, "Is this supposed to be moving?"

Everyone else looked at the egg on the table, which began to glow brightly and rock violently. Suddenly, a piece broke off and a small squeak came from inside. The egg continued to shake before more pieces broke off, eventually the top broke off. Inside, a small reddish brown lizard lay, before shaking its tail and unfolding its bat-like wings. Small ridges ran from its head to its tail.

It squeaked before breaking completely out of the shell, and crawling across the table.

"Oh, would ya look at 'im!" Hagrid exclaimed, rushing over to the table.

"What type of dragon is it?" Raven asked.

"A Norwegian Ridgeback," Hagrid stated.

"Hey, my brother Charlie works with those in Romania," Ron commented.

At the same time, the baby dragon had continued to crawl across the table, eventually coming to a stop in front of Hagrid.

"Ah, look at 'hat, 'e knows who 'is mommy 'is" Hagrid said gleefully.

Raven was about to make a comment about Hagrid being a mommy, when the dragon suddenly belched out a small fireball. The flames lit Hagrid's bushy beard, quickly burning the hairs. Hagrid let out a small cry of alarm before he quickly began patting at his beard, extinguishing the flames with his large hands.

"Hagrid, are you alright!" Raven exclaimed.

"Don' worry, I'm fine," Hagrid said nonchalantly, as smoke rose from his beard.

"Fine? Hagrid, it lit your beard on fire!" Hermione pointed out.

"Ah, but Norbert didn't mean it, 'e's just a baby after all," Hagrid explained.

"Norbert? You already have a name for it?" Sebastian questioned.

"Forget the name! Baby or not, that's still a dragon, Hagrid," Wanda stated.

"Look Hagrid, I know he's cute and all now, but what happens when he gets bigger?" Misty asked, her voice calm, "I mean, he's going to grow incredibly large. What are you going to feed him?"

"I-I'll figure somethin' out," Hagrid said nervously.

"Even if you did, you know keeping a dragon is illegal. How would you hide him?" Misty pressed.

"Yer right," Hagrid said with a sigh, "But what will we do with him?"

"Wait, Ron didn't you say your brother works with dragons?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, in Romania," Ron replied.

"You think there would be anyway we could contact him and have him pick up Norbert?" Tim asked.

"Yeah sure, I could owl him. Then he could bring Norbert to live in Romania!" Ron exclaimed.

"Hey, that's a pretty good idea, Tim!" Daimon exclaimed.

"Thanks," Tim said with a smile, scratching the back of his head.

"I don' know," Hagrid said, looking down sadly at the baby dragon before him.

"You know this is what best for Norbert," Raven insured him.

"But wha' if tha other dragons are mean to 'im? I can' be there for 'im if 'e's all the way in Romania," Hagrid said sadly.

"Hagrid, you've got the biggest heart of anyone I know, and I don't mean that literally," Raven said with a smile, patting the large man's shoulder, "He's a dragon, Hagrid. I'm sure he can take care of himself."

"Come on," Gemma said, "We should get going, or we'll get in trouble."

"Right, I'll make sure to send my brother an owl tomorrow," Ron stated as they all headed out the door.

Hagrid waved as he saw them out before turning his attention back to the baby dragon before him. He smiled as he watched it explore the rest of the table.

"Well Norbert," he said, "I may not be able ta keep ya, but I'll make tha best wit' tha time I got."

_Later that night_

Satanna was currently sitting in front of her mirror, brushing her long, red hair. She was dressed in a low-cut black nightgown with spaghetti straps and ended at her upper thigh. She was lost in thought as she stared into her mirror, admiring her own beauty.

Suddenly, her image began to fade as the mirror seemed to fog up. Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, she tried to wipe it away. Touching the mirror, she found that not only could she not wipe the fog away, but that the mirror was now icy cold to the touch.

"SSSSSatana," a voice whispered, coming from the mirror.

Satanna quickly pulled her hand away from the glass and looked at it with a perplexed face.

"SSSSSSatana Hellssssstrom, thatssss your name, issssn't it?" the voice hissed.

"Yes," Satanna replied, "Who are you?"

"I think you know who I am, girl," the voice said. At the same time, the image of a twisting snake appearing in the glass, hissing at her.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, calm and collected.

"I have an offer for you," the snake replied.

"I'm listening," Satanna answered, a smile appearing on her bright red lips.

_Two weeks later_

Night had fallen over Hogwarts. The moon had sunk behind a thick layer of clouds, adding to the layer of darkness already covering the castle. It was the perfect environment for smuggling an infant dragon.

Up on the top of the castles astronomy tower, a black pool of shadows formed. Slowly, Raven poked her head out before looking around carefully, making sure the coast was clear. Satisfied, she rose fully out of the pool, before turning around and pulling Ron and Harry out as well. The two boys were currently occupied with carrying the box that contained Norbert.

"Merlin, how did he get so big in just two weeks!" Ron asked.

"Hell if I know," Harry responded.

"So where's your brother, Ron?" Raven whispered.

"He should be here any minute" Ron answered.

As if on que, four men descended from the dark sky on broomsticks. Landing silently, the four men stepped off, lead by a red haired man. He had blue eyes, was covered in freckles, and possessed a muscular build.

"Hey Charlie," Ron greeted friendly, still struggling with the box.

"Hi, Ron," Charlie said with a smile, before turning to his partners, "Why don't you help him with that boys?"

The other men nodded before walking over to the crate and hoisting it out of Ron and Harry's hands.

"Thanks," Harry said to the men. One of them nodded back at him.

"Hey Charlie, long time, no see," Raven greeted Charlie.

"Hey Raven, getting my little brother into trouble?" Charlie asked.

"I try," Raven said with a smile.

"And you must be Harry Potter," Charlie greeted.

"Yep," Harry replied with a smile.

"So this is the dragon Hagrid got his hands on?" Charlie asked, looking into the box.

"Yeah, that's Norbert," Ron answered.

A belch of flame erupted from a hole in the box, forcing Charlie to jump back or be burnt.

"Oh, he's a nasty one," Charlie said with a smile.

Turning back to his partners, he made his way back over to them. Hopping back onto his broom, he drew his wand along with his partners. Together, they cast a spell on the crate, causing it to float up between them.

"Well we better get going before we get seen," Charlie said, giving a wave with his free hand, "See you around, little brother!"

"See you, Charlie!" Ron yelled, waving as did the others.

With that, the four wizards turned and flew off into the night, disappearing into the darkness.

"Alright guys, come on," Raven said, creating another pool of shadows. Harry and Ron stepped up to her and they all descended into it, disappearing.

_Meanwhile,_

Charlie and his partners flew silently above the trees of the Forbidden Forest. The dragon roared and breathed fire in its crate, though it had calmed down since they had left. Charlie smiled with exhilaration as he helped carry the dragon, the wind blowing through his hair.

Suddenly, a light flashed below Charlie. Before he could react, two red beams of energy shot up from the forest, incinerating two of his partners in a blast of light and heat. As their flaming remains fell to the ground, the box containing dipped, now having only two wizards supporting it. Charlie quickly grabbed his wand with both hands, pouring more energy into the spell.

"What the bloody hell was that!" Charlie's associate shouted. Before Charlie could answer another blast shot from the forest, killing the man as well. As his remains plummeted to the ground, the crate lurched downward. Charlie quickly ended the spell before he was yanked off his broom. Norbert roared as the crate fell to the forest below.

Another flash caught Charlie's eye, allowing him to roll out of the way just in time. Pulling hard on his broomstick, Charlie performed a U-turn and began rocketing back towards Hogwarts. The blasts started coming rapid fire now, and it took all of Charlie's skill, honed while playing Quidditch, to stay alive.

Just as Charlie felt he had a chance of making it to the castle, one of the blasts hit the back of his broom, destroying its bristles. Smoke trailed from the broom as it plummeted towards the ground. Charlie let out a shout as he hit a tree, bouncing off a few branches before hitting the ground with a sickening crack. He let out a wail of agony as he pulled his left arm close to him, his face contorted in pain.

Charlie was so blinded by his pain that he failed to notice someone approach until they hefted him off the ground by his shirt. He groggily looked at the person. It looked like a troll, though it was far too small. As he watched, a third eye opened up in the middle of its forehead. This was the last thing Charlie saw before passing out.

_Later, in a cave deep in the forest_

Ulik sat brooding in his cave, staring deeply into the fire before him. His defeat had been months ago, but Ulik was nothing if he couldn't hold a grudge. Still, he had no way of getting back at those who had wronged him. That included that wizard with the cloth wrapped around his head. He had been a fool to trust him, and now look, Ulik's home was destroyed and his people dead or scattered, while that wizard had probably gotten whatever it is he had been after.

"Master, I return," Orikal said, "and I believe I found something interesting."

Ulik looked up and saw Orikal walk into the cave with something slung over his shoulder.

"What'ca got there, Orikal?" Ulik asked.

In response, Orikal unceremoniously dumped a young, red haired human in front of Ulik.

"Seemz kind o' scrawny ta me," Ulik commented.

"Yes," Orikal agreed, "That's why I thought you'd prefer my other discovery."

With a wave of his hand, Orikal dragged Norbert into the cave as well.

"A dragon," Ulik commented, a smile crossing his face, "I do like thiz."

"It's still young," Orikal commented, "But could no doubt be a useful asset in the future.

"No doubt indeed," a voice said from the caves mouth.

Turning, Ulik could see two young witches standing there. One had bright red hair while the other had pink and both were dressed in school uniforms. Ulik also noticed that a smoke cloud seemed to hang around the girls, shaped like a snake.

"Who are youz?" Ulik demanded, leaping to his feet and pointing his spear at them.

"Why Ulik," the snake hissed, "Don't you recognize me?"

"Yer 'at wizard who got me into thiz mess!" Ulik growled, taking a threatening step forward.

"Calm yourssssself troll," Voldemort's spirit snapped, "My plansssss didn't work out all that well either."

"So wha' you wan' now?" Ulik asked.

"To renew our allegiance," Voldemort explained, "I've concocted a new plan and acquired some new asssssssssetssssssss, as it appearssssss you have as well."

"A scrawny wizard an' a puny dragon ain't gonna make up for the loss o' me boyz," Ulik countered.

"Master," Orikal interrupted, "I do not believe all of your servants were lost with the destruction of the village. Given time, you might be able to gather another host together."

"Time isss a resssource that we have a sssssurplusss of," Voldemort agreed.

"Alrigh' if you help me regathe' me boyz then we'll help you break into th' castle and keep it when yer done," Ulik stated.

"Very well," Voldemort said with a nod, "Perhapssss we sssshould get ssssstarted then,"

"Right," Ulik responded as he began to lumber out of the cave.

"Youz comin'?" Ulik asked Orikal, glancing over his shoulder.

"Go on with out me, Master. If you don't mind, I wish to perform an experiment with our two guests," Orikal explained.

"Knock yerself out," Ulik said dismissively as he walked away.

It was at this point that Charlie began to stir. Groaning in pain, he slowly opened his eyes. Standing before him was Orikal, who was smiling down at him.

"This might hurt a bit," Orikal stated as he held his hand forward, opening his palm eye.

There was a bright flash of light from the eye, and then all Charlie knew was pain.

A/N: So got this chapter out quick, hope you liked it. The climax of the story is right around the corner, so stay tuned! Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out in a week. Also, the thing with Voldemort's speech, I realize he doesn't normally talk like that. I just thought it would be interesting if his spirit form talked with an exaggerated hissing noise. Once he gets another body, I plan to drop it. Until next time, Later True Believers!

P.S. I'm going out on a limb here again, but to Phygmalion, I'm not sure if you know this, but you've disabled private messaging. I can't respond to your reviews unless you turn it on.


	15. While the Cat's Away

**Chapter 15: While the Cat's Away**

_May 22nd 2013_

Harry and his friends sat in the Great Hall, happily eating their breakfast. Harry reminisced about all that had happened since returning from Christmas holiday. Not only had he encountered the Mirror of Erised and a real life dragon, but he had learned so much magic. With Raven tutoring him in addition to his normal classes, it felt like he was performing new spells everyday. Adding to the exhilaration was his position on the Quidditch team. He could still remember winning his first game, along with the feeling and taste of the Golden Snitch flying down his throat.

Glancing around at his friends, knowing this was just the beginning of his time here; along with the fact he wouldn't return to the Dursley's when summer was over, made him smile so much he felt like his face risked splitting.

Harry was snapped back to reality as the screeching calls of owls filled the room. Looking up, he saw the flock of owls of every type fly down from the windows, making the enchanted ceiling look more like the real sky then ever. As usual, a duo of owls dropped of the Daily Prophet and the London Times in front of Hermione, forcing her to halt her conversation with Misty. Unfurling the Daily Prophet, she quickly scanned the front page before letting out a surprised gasp that caught everyone's attention.

"What is it, Mione?" Misty asked, calling Hermione by the nickname she had come up with for her.

"Look at this," Hermione responded, slamming the paper down on the table. Harry quickly scanned the front page, his brow knitted in confusion.

"Spirit of Vengeance Returns!" the title exclaimed. Below it was a moving photograph, featuring a loop of a fight apparently taking place in Diagon Alley. A number of wizards and witches, dressed in government uniforms, surrounded what Harry could only describe as some kind of demon. But not in the same way as Hellboy, Blue or Etrigan. The demon stood as tall as a man, wearing what appeared to be a biker's outfit. The clothes hung loosely on the demon, probably because it appeared to be a skeleton, with skeletal hands coming out its sleeves and a skull for a head. For added horror, the entire skeleton seemed to be on fire. It stared out at the wizards with empty eye sockets. In one of its hands it carried a long length of chain, which was also on fire.

The demon looks around wildly at the wizards before suddenly lashing out at them with the chain. The wizards and witches dive out of the way as the flaming chain arcs outwards. It slashes through a nearby shop window, sending flames and glass flying. The demon begins spinning the chain above its head like a lasso before the picture skips back to the beginning.

"Bloody Hell," Ron moaned, the color draining from his face.

"Who is that guy?" Tim asked.

"The Ghost Rider," Raven answered, her eyes glued to the picture.

"The who?" Harry asked.

"The Ghost Rider, also know as the Spirit of Vengeance, is a magical being of immense power. It is the champion of the Specter and is tasked with punishing the wicked and the evil people of the world," Hermione explained.

"Who's the Specter?" Tim questioned, still confused.

"The Specter is God's wrath incarnate. His job was to punish the wicked, at least until he went insane," Sebastian explained.

"Insane?" Harry asked.

"You know all those witch trials that happened around the 15th century?" Daimon proposed, "That was his doing and then some."

"Why?" Harry questioned.

"Nobody knows," Misty replied with a shrug, "But in the end, he had to be stopped and it took the Sorcerer Supreme, the Mightiest Mortal and even an angel to stop him. They sealed him away and he's been locked up ever since."

"But there still needed to be a Spirit of Vengeance, so the Specter was allowed to imbue some of his power into a mortal of his choosing, creating a champion. His rider. The Ghost Rider," Hermione finished.

Harry was impressed; he had heard those titles before and knew they were the heaviest hitters in the magical world. The thought that it took more than their combined power just to lock someone up was mind boggling.

"So this Ghost Rider is that guy?" Harry asked, pointing at the photo.

"No, there have been a number of people who held that title over the centuries, male and female, from all over the world. This guys just the newest," Wanda explained.

"Are they all insane like the Specter?" Tim asked.

"No, some have been great heroes. Others though, have delved into that madness and gone on killing sprees," Sebastian replied.

"You think that's what this guy is doing?" Ron surmised.

"It's certainly what the Ministry is afraid of," Hermione replied, "It says that they managed to capture him and are currently holding him at the Ministry."

"How are they holding him?" Misty questioned.

"It must be taking a lot of power," Raven guessed, before glancing at the faculty table, "It probably explains why Dumbledore isn't here today."

Glancing up, Harry saw that the headmaster's chair was indeed empty.

"Something this important would definitely need someone of his skill," Hermione agreed.

"Hope he's alright," Harry said.

"Don't worry, mate. Dumbledore can take care of himself," Ron assured Harry.

As the other's talked, Daimon happened to glance up from the table. As he did, he saw his sister swiftly moving towards the main doors of the hall. Narrowing his eyes, Daimon quickly stood up and grabbed his bags. Saying goodbye to his friends, he rushed after his sister.

"Satana," he said, catching up with her just outside the main doors, "I need to talk to you."

"Whatever about, dear brother?" she asked while turning around, giving her brother an innocent look.

"You know damn well what," Daimon growled, "Tell me they're not true."

"What aren't true?" Satana asked.

"The rumors that you're…" Daimon trailed off.

"Shagging Professor Kettleburn?" Satana finished, smirking at Daimon.

Daimon stared at his sister in stunned silence, before a look of disgust crossed his face.

"Then it's true?" he asked, failing to hide the anger in his voice.

"Everyone needs a little love," Satana responded with a shrug.

"Oh my God, Satana, how could you do something like that?" Daimon whispered harshly.

"Easy, I asked. You'd be surprised how lonely you can get with no legs and only one arm," Satanna explained.

"But why?" Daimon demanded.

Satana smiled wickedly before standing on her tiptoes and whispering in her brother's ear.

"Because I could," she said smoothly, before turning on her toes and walking away.

"And what happens when the headmaster finds out. He'll-" Daimon called after her, but was cut off when she turned back to him.

"Expel me? Is that suppose to be an actual threat?" she asked, smiling and cocking an eyebrow.

"What would mom think?" Daimon growled.

"Like I said before," Satana called over her shoulder as she continued to walk, "Is that suppose to be an actual threat?"

Daimon narrowed his eyes as he watched his sister leave. Turning around, he suddenly found Nandita standing behind him.

"Hi, Daimon," Nandita smiled at him, walking until they were practically pressed together.

"Hello, Nandita," Daimon replied with a sense of trepidation mixed with annoyance.

"What you doing?" she asked, playing with the front of his shirt.

"I was talking to my sister," Daimon replied, feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh, you talking about those nasty rumors that have been spreading about her?" Nandita asked, drawing little circles on Daimon's chest with her finger, "Maybe we should try starting a few of our own."

"Nandita, I know you like me but-" Daimon was cut off when Nandita quickly kissed him.

"Merlin's beard, haven't you heard no means no!" Daimon demanded as he pushed her away.

"No," she said with a smile as she walked off, shaking her hips seductively.

Daimon rubbed his temples in irritation and grumbled to himself before picking up his book bag and heading towards his first class.

Later

The halls of the castle were silent as the blanket of night hung over them. Nothing stirred with in the stone passageways. Nothing except Satana Hellstrom.

Dressed in a pair of black leather pants and a black tank top that left her midriff exposed, she crept through the castle, ever mindful of someone approaching. Behind her crept Nandita, dressed in a flowing white skirt and black and pink halter top. Silently they went until they came to the castle's mighty doors.

"You got what we need?" Nandita asked.

"Of course. You'd be surprised at what people say around their lovers," Satana replied with a smirk before approaching the doors. Taking out her wand, she put its tip to the wood, before making a few motions as if she were writing.

She finished with a flourish and there was a clicking noise as the doors unlocked. Pushing her wand against the door again, she whispered a quick spell and the large doors swung open. Stepping into the doorway, she smiled at her accomplishment as she looked out across the school grounds

As she watched, massive shadows moved across the grounds towards the door, creeping as quietly as they could. Soon, a horde of trolls stood before Satana, with Ulik near its front flanked on all sides.

"You've done well," Voldemort's voice came from the crowd, sounding more material then it had been recently.

"Thank you, my Lord," Satana said as she curtsied.

"Do you know where Potter is?" Voldemort asked.

"He's up in the Gryffindor tower," Nandita answered.

"And the American and her meddling friends are there too?" Voldemort questioned from the crowd.

"Yes, my Lord," Satana answered.

"Good," Voldemort replied, "I need you to take Orikal's pet and retrieve the boy. Kill anyone who gets in your way."

"Yes, my Lord," Satana answered before she and Nandita pushed their way outside through the crowd of trolls.

"Orikal, we need to find where Dumbledore hid-" Voldemort began to explain but trailed off when he heard someone walk down the hall. All the trolls turned to look down the hall, seeing Filch standing there with Mrs. Norris, a rifle in his hands. The two groups stared at each other for a few moments, the silence almost deafening.

"You have a hall pass?" Filch asked with a smirk.

Orikal quickly held up a hand and fired a red, energy beam at Filch, causing him and the cat to dart behind a wall.

"Argus Filch! You useless squib! Still roaming the halls?" Voldemort bellowed.

"It's kind of in tha job description!" Filch shouted back.

"I'll give you one chance to surrender. If you do, I promise you a swift death. What do you say?" Voldemort asked from the crowd.

In response, the loud crack of a gunshot sounded from Filch's direction as a troll's head exploded into blood and gore.

"I surrender, move a little closer!" Filch shouted, reloading his gun.

"Kill 'im!" Ulik bellowed, causing a group of the trolls to rush forward. Filch's eyes went wide and he fired off another shot of his rifle, before darting away, Mrs. Norris hot on his heels.

"The rest of you, with us!" Voldemort demanded as the rest of the group headed in a different direction, "Orikal, find the item, we have to get to it before they can mount a defense."

"It shall be done," Orikal responded as he three eyes began to glow, "Follow me"

Meanwhile

Harry slept soundly in his bed, the covers pulled up to his neck. Suddenly, he was awoken by ear-splitting crash, accompanied by a tremor that shook Harry out of his bed. Quickly untangling himself from his sheets and standing up, he looked around. Harry saw that his friends were also awake and that, though some items had been toppled, the room was largely unharmed.

"What the bloody hell was that!" Ron demanded.

"I don't know," Neville said nervously, "It sounded like it came from the common room."

"Come on," Harry said, as he headed out the door and down the stairs, surrounded by a throng of other male student. Harry managed to push himself to the front and was astonished by what he found.

The entire wall of the common room had been knocked out, sending debris scattering, and over turning furniture. Harry noticed that the terrarium had broke and Mortimer and Trevor where hopping for their lives away from the source of the destruction. Looking at the hole, Harry saw Satana and Nandita standing in front of the hole, with a large shadowy figure looming behind them.

"Satana! What the hell are you doing?" Daimon demanded from further back in the crowd.

"We're picking up something for a friend of ours, dear brother," Satana replied, as she scanned the crowd before her eyes settled on Harry, "Ah, there you are, cutie."

She took a step towards Harry, but Raven suddenly teleported in front of her, blocking her path.

"You won't touch him!" Raven shouted, her eyes glowing white as a black aura surrounded her hands.

"Oh I was hoping we'd run into you, Raven," Satana said sinisterly, "Allow me to introduce you to our new friend."

At the mention, the creature stepped forward into the light, causing the collected students to gasp in surprise and horror. The creature's looks were a strange mixture of dragon and human. It had a humanoid shape, standing upright on clawed feet. Reddish brown scales ran across its form. Its face was elongated and reptilian, with two pointed ears on the sides of its head. Blue eyes stared out menacingly and a tuft of red hair sat on the top of its head. Its body was muscular and its hands ended in sharp, black claws. A pair of tattered pants was the only clothing it wore, with a long, spiked tail coming out the seat. Bat-like wings sprouted from its shoulders and came down almost to its feet. It snarled, showing its pointed teeth as a puff of smoke shot out its nostrils. An outline of a red eye was etched into its forehead.

"Merlin's beard," Raven whispered, taking a step back.

"You like him?" Satana commented as she stroked the creature's nose, "We call him Dragon Man. Simple, but fitting. He was created by the troll wizard Orikal."

"Orikal?" Raven asked, surprised.

"Yes, you remember him, don't you? Well, he happened to come into a windfall a few months back and performed this ritual he always wanted to try. I hear it's very painful for the participants. And by that I mean I heard the screams."

"Windfall?" Raven question, watching as her friends moved into a better position.

"Yes, he attacked a group of wizards transporting a dragon awhile ago. He took one of them alive to use in the experiment. I think it worked out wonderfully," Satana explained as she admired Dragon Man.

"What…?" Raven asked as her blood suddenly went cold.

"Yes, I believe you knew him," Satanna said as she tussled the creature's red hair.

Harry's eyes went wide with the realization as he turned to Ron. Ron had gone stalk still as he starred at Dragon Man, the color drained from his face.

"C-Charlie?" Raven asked, her voice cracking.

"Kill her," Satana whispered into Dragon Man's ear. The creature let out a thunderous roar, and then it…he was upon her.

A/N: Sorry, bit of a delay on this one, and kind of short, but I wanted to end on a cliff hanger here. Things are revving up and they'll only get more exciting from here on out. Also, I got to mention some other events happening out in the world. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, as I hope you'll enjoy the next one. Later, True Believers!


	16. The Heart of a Star: Part 1

**Chapter 16: The Heart of a Star: Part 1**

Raven quickly through up her arms as Dragon Man leapt at her, forming a shield between the two. Dragon Man slammed into the shield hard causing the whole room to shake. With a heave, Raven forced Dragon Man back, causing him to stumble.

"Everyone get out of here!" she shouted, "Guys, I'll handle Charlie, just make sure they don't get Harry!"

"Right!" Daimon shouted as he leapt over the crowd and landed at the foot of the stairs. He started shooing the crowd back up the stairs. The mob of people began rushing back up both flights of stairs as Raven's friends forced their way to the bottom.

"Harry, get back to your room!" Daimon ordered. Harry nodded before quickly rushing into his room. As he did Percy rushed down with Sebastian as Wanda came down from the girl's dorm.

"Percy, what are you doing?" Daimon demanded.

"I'm a prefect, protecting the students when no professors are around is my responsibility!" Percy responded.

"Is that the only reason?" Sebastian asked.

Percy paused as he looked at Raven struggling with the Dragon Man.

"If what she said is true, then that's my brother, and I have to do something about it," Percy explained.

"Alright then," Sebastian responded with a nod.

Raven pushed Dragon Man back again, forcing Satana and Nandita to jump to the side. As Dragon Man caught himself, he let out a roar before firing a belch of flame at Raven. Both Raven and Sebastian quickly through up a shield that everyone dove behind. The flames passed over them harmlessly, scorching the surrounding room.

"So this is what it's come to, Satana!" Daimon demanded "You've thrown your lot in with Voldemort!"

"I guess I'm just more like father then you," Satana commented.

"You say that like I care what that bastard thinks," Daimon growled as he tightened his fists.

"You should, he was the one who tried to make us into something, unlike the cow called our mother," Satana spat back, "He was the one who taught us not to hang around with these lesser sorts."

"You're involving yourself with a mass murder and you dare to call my friends, 'lesser sorts'!" he roared, "You're as much of an amoral jackass as he was."

"You're going to regret everything you've said about father," she snarled, before turning to Dragon Man, "Kill them!"

Dragon Man roared as he rushed forward. In response, Raven rushed forward as well, meeting Dragon Man head on. As Dragon Man reared up to take a swipe at her, she ducked beneath his arms and thrust her palms into his chest. As she did, a black shockwave shot out from her palms, throwing Dragon Man back and through the hole. Raven ran forward and leaped out after him as Satana and Nandita leapt to the side.

As Satana picked herself up, she heard a loud roar. Looking up, she saw Daimon rushing her. She quickly ducked as he threw a punch at her, denting the wall.

"Come now, brother," she chastised, as her eyes glowed red, "If we're going to fight, we might as well show our true faces."

Suddenly, a red, heated pentagram appeared on Satana's stomach before she burst into flame. When the flames subsided, Satana's skin was now blood red as her hair became jet black. Her teeth were now pointed, her nails became claws and small horns formed on her forehead. Flames licked the insides of her mouth.

Satana let out a screech as she lunged at Daimon, slashing at him with her claws. Daimon managed to flip backwards in order to avoid the attack. He growled before ripping of his shirt as he transformed as well. The two half-demons growled viciously at each other before attacking.

At the same time, Nandita faced off with Sebastian, Wanda, and Percy. Her eyes were glowing pink and her hands were surrounded in a pink aura. She quickly thrust out her hand, sending a bolt of pink energy at them. Wanda countered with a bolt of her own. The two attacks collided, causing a small explosion of reddish-pink.

"Looks like we're both having a little bit of bad luck, mutie," Nandita giggled, as she smiled wickedly at Wanda.

"I think all the bad luck's on you, Nandita," Wanda commented, "If you didn't notice, it's three on one."

"Perhaps, but you of all people should know how quickly the odds can change, Maximoff," Nandita quipped, "Especially with such a jinx as me,"

Nandita quickly swung her glowing hands at the floor. As they hit, the stones began to glow pink before cracking and breaking. Before they knew it, a large portion of the floor broke from underneath the three Gryffindors, sending them plummeting downwards.

"Looks like I'll just go grab little Harry now," Nandita laughed as she began walking around the large hole. As she did, the floor beneath her suddenly glowed dark red before breaking off under her, sending her falling as well.

"I don't think so," Wanda snarled as she sat up from the pile of rubble she was in. She let out a cry of pain though, and quickly grabbed her left arm with her right. Looking down at it, she saw it was bleeding and dislocated by the fall.

"Looks like you took the fall harder then I did," Nandita commented as she stood up, her skirt torn in various places and her body covered in cuts and bruises.

Wanda looks at her with fright as she tries to move away, but cries out in pain again and cradles her arm. She looks at Sebastian laying not far away from her, his eyes closed and a bleeding wound on the side of her head.

"No one to help you now, mutie," Nandita sneers as she approaches Wanda, her eyes and hands glowing.

"Except me," a voice said from behind Wanda. Turning, she saw Percy standing behind her, his wand pointed at Nandita.

"You want to dance with me, teacher's pet?" Nandita challenged, her attention on Percy.

"It's my job to keep the student's safe, no matter what," Percy said with a hint of pride.

"Have it your way then," Nandita said with a shrug, before she made a sweeping motion with her hand, sending a way of pink energy at Percy. His eyes went wide as he rolled out of the way.

"Alright Weasley," Nandita said with a grin as she walked towards Percy, "Let's go,"

_Meanwhile_

Dragon Man tumbled through the air, before he spread his massive wings and caught the air, gliding back up into the sky. As he circled, Raven flew up after him.

"Charlie!" Raven called after him, catching Dragon Man's attention, "Charlie, it's me, Raven!"

Dragon Man roared and dove at her, Raven quickly dodged to the side, blocking one of his claws with an energy shield of her own.

"Come on, Charlie! Snap out of it!" she shouted, as she batted aside another attack.

"Remember who you are," she yelled as he Dragon Man rounded on her again. He stopped and growled for a second before spitting a fireball at her. She quickly threw up another shield, though the force of the attack knocked her back a bit.

"Fine, Charlie. If that's the way you want it then I'll beat some sense into you," she growled as her eyes began to glow white. Spreading her arms above her head, her hands surrounded by her aura. As she did, shadows began to swirl around her, before condensing into a bird shape behind her, mimicking her motions.

Raven quickly snapped her arms forward, causing the bird to dissolve into a storm of black energy talons. They shot forward as Dragon Man flew to meet them. He skillfully dodged the first few, but his bulk ultimately betrayed him as two of the talons grabbed her wings. The rest quickly followed, entangling Dragon Man. They formed together, becoming one giant talon. '

Raven quickly swung her arm around, causing the talon to swing around, dragging Dragon Man with him. After making a full spin, she let go, sending Dragon Man tumbling down towards the castle. He hit the Astronomy tower hard, causing masonry to go flying as he rolled across the top. He dug his claws into the stone, leaving long gashes as he ground to a stop.

Raven quickly crossed her arms over her chest as her aura surrounded her entire body. The aura quickly expanded, taking the shape of a bird as well, hiding her in the black aura. The bird let out a screech as it dive bombed towards the tower, folding its wings against its body. Dragon Man stood up, just in time to look up and see the energy bird bearing down on him. It slammed hard into him, blasting them through the Astronomy tower and into the ground in a courtyard below. The energy faded, leaving Raven standing on Dragon Man's chest in the middle of a sizeable crater.

Raven looked down at Dragon Man, breathing heavily from exertion. Just as she started to relax, Dragon Man's head quickly snapped up and he belched a tongue of flame at her. She quickly threw up her hands in order to put up a shield, but she couldn't react fast enough. She let out a cry of pain as her hands were burnt and she stumbled backwards.

Dragon Man quickly stood and rounded on Raven, roaring viciously. Raven quickly hustled out of the crater, cradling her hands against her body. Dragon Man effortlessly leaped out of the crater, landing in front of her. Before she could react, Dragon Man backhanded her, sending her flying across the courtyard and slamming into a wall, knocking a hole in it.

Dragon Man walked in front of the hole before breathing fire into it. As it reached the hole, a black shield appeared in the opening, stopping the flames while the sides of the building were scorched. Raven quickly dropped the shield before stepping out of the hole, limping a bit. She lifted her hands, causing large chunks of stone to rise off the ground.

She quickly thrust her arms forward, causing the chunks of stone to go flying at Dragon Man. The first one struck him in the head, before he managed to get his arms up to defend himself. None the less, the stones struck him hard all across his body, forcing him to his knees. Soon the stones stopped and the Dragon Man was left lying on his hands and knees.

Raven hesitantly moved out of the hole, watching to see if Dragon Man would try anything again. Her caution was rewarded when Dragon Man suddenly roared, unfurling his wings and throwing his head back. He quickly bent back over and bit a large chunk out of the wall. He then turned towards Raven before spitting the rocks at her while breathing fire simultaneously. The flaming rocks flew at Raven who quickly created a dome to protect herself. The rocks blasted more holes in the wall, and pelted Raven's shield until it broke, sending her tumbling backward.

Raven quickly recovered, pushing herself to her feet with her wounded hands. At the same time, Dragon Man charged her, roaring viciously. Raven quickly flew into the air as Dragon Man pounced at her. The monster went flying into the wall, breaking off more masonry. There was a slight pause followed by a loud woosh and a cloud of dust as Dragon Man flew out of the hole and into the sky after Raven.

Raven quickly dodged to the side as Dragon Man shot another fireball at her, before blocking as he closed in and swiped at her with his claws. As he circled around for another pass, Raven began gathering her energies, creating another bird out of her aura. Dragon Man saw the attack coming, and started breathing a continuous blast of fire as he flew. As he went, the flames began to circle around him, turning him into a large fireball.

The two flew head on each other, Dragon Man's fire contrasting with Raven's dark aura. They rammed hard into each other, causing an explosion of fire and black energy which left behind a large cloud of smoke behind. A second later, a figure fell out of the cloud, leaving a trail of smoke as it went. It hit the ground hard, and the smoke dispersed, revealing Raven, unconscious on the ground.

Dragon Man growled as he landed and approached Raven, preparing to devour her. Suddenly, he was stopped as a voice whispered in his head.

'_Forget the girl!_' it whispered sharply, '_Retrieve the boy!_'

With a roar, Dragon Man followed his unseen master's order, leaping into the sky and unfurling his wings as he flew back towards Gryffindor tower.

As Dragon Man flew away, the sound of thunderous footsteps approached, accompanied by the sound of a barking dog. Quickly, Hagrid appeared out of the darkness, Fang hot on his heels.

"Raven!" he cried in shock as he saw her lying there. He quickly kneeled down next to her and gently scooped her up.

"Merlin's beard, what happened to you!" he lamented as he looked her over, "Everything's going to hell all over again. We have to get you back to the castle. Poppy will know what to do. Come on Fang!"

Hagrid quickly stood up and began rushing across the ground, Fang running right alongside him.

_Meanwhile,_

Harry, Tim, Ron and Neville were hold up in their room, listening to the pitched combat outside. They had shoved a wardrobe in front of the door, in what they felt was a vain attempt to defend themselves. Neville was on his bed, curled up into a ball, looking at the door with a frightened expression.

"You think they're alright?" Harry asked as he sat in his own bed, his knuckles white from gripping his wand.

"Heck if I know, mate," Ron responded, in a similar position as Harry.

"I can't just sit here," Harry fumed, hopping off his bed.

"You have to," Tim said, stepping in front of him, "They're after you, and remember last time we got in a fight? We almost died, Harry."

Harry frowned and looked away, but didn't argue.

"Besides," Tim said with a smile, "I'm sure the others have everything under control."

Suddenly, Neville leapt to his feet and rushed over to where the two were standing.

"Get down!" he shouted, tackling the two to the ground. A second later, the wall of the room burst open, sending debris flying. In the new hole, Dragon Man stood, roaring as his wings unfurled as he spat out flames. The boys quickly picked themselves up and rushed over to the other side of the room.

"Bloody hell, what do we do?" Neville asked, visibly shaking.

Before Harry could say anything though, Ron stepped forward, staring intently at the Dragon Man.

"Charlie?" he asked, uneasily.

Dragon Man tilted his head in Ron's direction, the young boy having caught his attention.

"Charlie, it's me, Ron. Your little brother, don't you remember me?" he asked, slowly approaching Dragon Man.

Dragon Man looked at Ron inquisitively, tilting his head to the side as he watched him approach.

"You do remember me, don't you?" Ron asked as he walked right up to Dragon Man, holding his hand outstretched to touch him.

Dragon Man looked at Ron with recognition as he slowly tilted his head towards Ron's head. Suddenly, his head snapped back, as the mark on his forehead glowed and made a burning sound. He roared in pain before turning his now rage filled eyes back to Ron.

"Ron, move!" Tim shouted before making a sweeping motion with his hand. At the same time, Ron was suddenly thrown to the side, sending the boy tumbling to the side. A second later, Dragon Man slashed at where Ron's head had been moments before. The Dragon Man roared again, turning his attention back to the others.

"He's after me," Harry stated.

"What?" Neville asked

"He's after me!" Harry exclaimed, before rushing forward.

"Harry!" Tim shouted after him.

Harry quickly leaped over his bed, barely dodging Dragon Man's claws. Rolling to the floor, he quickly reached under the bed and grabbing his broom. Pushing himself to his feet, he dodged another of the Dragon Man's grabs for him, before running towards the hole Dragon Man had made. Taking a flying leap, he soared out the hole and hopped onto his broom as he fell through the air.

Swooping through the air, Harry turned and looked back. As he did, he saw Dragon Man dive through the air, chasing after him. Gulping, he pulled up on his broom and turned it, heading back towards the castle. Dragon Man roared and flew after Harry, gaining on him. Dragon Man belched a ball of fire at him, forcing Harry to roll to the side.

Glancing back, Harry saw Dragon Man had gained on him. He quickly dove downwards, dodging another swipe from Dragon Man. As he dove, Dragon Man closed his wings and dove after Harry. As they approached the ground, Harry quickly yanked upwards, leveling off with the ground. Dragon Man wasn't quite as agile and ended up slamming hard into the dirt.

Harry circled around in the air, watching where Dragon Man laid, a cloud of smoke obscuring his view of the monster. Suddenly, the smoke was split as a blast of fire shot out. Harry barely had time to dodge, the flames catching the straws of the broom. Harry gripped the broom tightly as it drooped. Pulling up, he managed to land on one of the castle walls before the broom completely gave out beneath him.

Harry stumbled as he landed, and began looking around wildly. Suddenly Dragon Man landed on the wall, shaking it. The movement sent Harry stumbling to the ground, causing him to scramble around and away from Dragon Man. But the beast wouldn't let him escape and quickly put one of his massive feet on Harry's chest, pinning him to the ground. He slowly leaned over Harry, before opening his mouth and letting out a massive roar, his breath smelling of brimstone.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound came from above them before a bluish blur slammed into Dragon Man. Dragon Man was sent stumbling backwards, off of Harry's chest. Between the two landed Misty, in her Sheeda form, dressed in her pajamas and rubbing her shoulder from where she slammed into Dragon Man.

"Misty?" Harry asked as he pulled himself to his feet.

"Hey Harry," she said, looking over her shoulder at him, "I saw what was happening from my room and thought you could use some help."

"Yeah thanks," Harry replied as he drew his wand.

Dragon Man roared at the two before rushing at them, the two students holding their ground.

_Meanwhile,_

Filched rushed through the halls of the school, Mrs. Norris hot on his tail. Behind them, the thunderous sound of the trolls charging after him. Filch quickly turned around and fired off a shot with his rifle, the sound of a troll's cry of pain confirming that he had struck true.

As Filch continued to run, he figured out that he was close to the medical wing. Taking a sharp turn, he almost ran headlong into Hagrid and his dog who were just leaving the medical wing.

"Merlin's beard, Filch!" Hagrid shouted as Filch slid to a stop, "Wha's the rush?"

As he asked, a roar echoed down the hall as a half-dozen trolls rushed around the corner.

"What do you think!" Filch demanded.

Filch quickly whirled around and fired another shot from his rifle. The shot caught one of the trolls in the chest, sending the creature falling to the ground where it was trampled by its comrades. Filch went to fire again, but found that his rifle was empty. Reaching into his pockets, Filch pulled out more ammo and reloaded, but by the time he did, the trolls were upon him.

A troll swung at him with a meaty fist, but it was intercepted as Hagrid stepped forward and grabbed it. The troll grunted in pain as Hagrid's grip tightened, before he struck the monster hard in the face with his other fist. The troll stumbled back, allowing Hagrid to rush forward and hit with a combo to its stomach and face that knocked it flat. Stepping over it, Hagrid quickly stepped hard on the troll's chest, a loud crack sounding through the halls.

As he looked up, Hagrid had just enough time to duck as another troll swung a club at him. Moving beneath the troll's attack, he struck it hard in the stomach. He followed up by quickly grabbing the troll's head and slamming his knee into troll's face. As the troll reeled, Hagrid grabbed the troll's head and groin before lifting it into the air and slamming it back first into the ground, cratering the stone and cracking the back of its head.

Another troll lifted a club to strike at Hagrid, but it dropped it when Filch quickly shot it out of its hands. The troll growled at the smaller man, but Filch simply responded by putting a bullet through its shoulder. The troll stumbled back, holding the wound, giving Filch the opportunity to shoot it in the kneecap. The troll screamed in pain as it fell to the ground, but was silenced as Filch put a bullet in its head.

As the troll fell, the last two charged, catching Hagrid and Filch off guard. One tackled into Hagrid while the other backhanded Filch, slamming him into a wall. Hagrid and the troll rolled about on the ground, pulling and tugging on each other's heads. Eventually, the troll pinned Hagrid to the ground and wrapped its big hands around his throat while Hagrid pushed back its head with his hands. Hagrid chocked and thrashed, trying to throw the monster off of him.

Suddenly there was a growling sound from behind Hagrid. A second later, Fang leapt forward and dug his teeth into the troll's throat. The troll let out a strangled cry of pain as it took its hands from Hagrid's neck and began struggling with Fang. Hagrid took a moment to catch his breath, before striking the troll on the side of its head, sending it and Fang falling to the ground. Hagrid quickly hopped to his feet and picked up one of the trolls' clubs, before crushing the trolls' head with it. He dropped the club before petting Fang on the head.

"Not as much of a coward as I thought, eh?" Hagrid said with a smile, as Fang shook his tail.

At the same time, the other troll had rushed at Filch after knocking him into the wall. Filch had dropped his gun after being hit and was forced to roll away to avoid the attack. The troll roared as he continued to chase Filch, eventually backing him into a corner. The troll sneered as he approached, lifting its fist above its head to crush him.

Suddenly, Mrs. Norris hopped up on the troll's shoulder. With a hiss, she leapt at its face, clawing at its eyes with its claws. The troll screamed in pain as it tried to get the cat off, but its clumsy hands couldn't grab the small cat. Taking advantage of the distraction, Filch dove for his gun, before rolling and shooting the monster in the chest, sending it falling to the floor.

Mrs. Norris nimbly hoped off the corpse, before trotting over to Filch and rubbing herself against his leg.

"Well done, my love," he said, patting her head, causing her to purr.

"Wha' tha bloody 'ell is goin' on, Filch?" Hagrid asked.

"Looks like Voldemort rounded up some more trolls and is taking another shot at grabbing whatever it is Dumbledore is hiding," Filch explained.

"We 'ave ta stop 'im!" Hagrid explained.

"Well of course, but first, we're going to need some bigger guns," Filch replied, before he started walking, signaling Hagrid to follow him.

They quickly made their way through the halls, heading towards Filch's room. They rounded a corner, only to find another group of trolls heading towards them. Mrs. Norris hissed as Filch reloaded his gun.

"Here we go again," he growled.

Suddenly there was a cracking sound as dust fell onto the trolls. The creatures looked up in confusion. As they did, a spider web of cracks appeared on the ceiling before it came crashing down upon them. They let out cries of pain and alarm but were quickly silenced by the rubble.

"Ha ha!" a voice laughed, "I've always wanted to try something like that!"

A ghostly individual floated into view. He appeared to be a young man dressed in Victorian age clothing. His unkempt, black hair shook as he laughed merrily.

"Peeves?" Filch asked with confusion.

"Well if it ain't Filthy Filch and Hairy Hagrid!" Peeves said with delight, "Isn't it your jobs to keep riffraff like this out of the castle? And you'll have to get someone to clean this place up, it's a mess!"

Filch growled at Peeves, before shaking his head.

"Look Peeves, I can't believe I'm saying this, but we need your help," Filch said, the words seeming to leave a bad taste in his mouth.

"Really, Filthy? You need _my _help?" Peeves asked with a taunting voice.

"Yes," he growled, before Filch started heading towards his room, "Now, follow me."

They quickly moved across the rubble before coming to a door. Filch fished into his pocket before pulling out a large ring of keys. He shifted through the keys before finding the one he wanted. Just as he was about to put it in, the sound of approaching feet echoed down the hall. Filch quickly picked up his rifle and pointed it down the hall while the others prepared for a fight. A second later, the Weasley twins ran around the corner in their pajamas. The two skidded to a halt, letting out a surprised cry as they saw the others.

Filch sighed and rolled his eyes while he stopped pointing the gun at them.

"The Weasley twins, just what I needed tonight," Filch grumbled as he put the key into the door.

"Wha' are you lads doin' 'ere?" Hagrid asked.

"Satana Hellstrom attacked the Gryffindor Tower-" George began.

"with some monstrous dragon…thing!" Fred finished.

"Wonderful, all the more reason to get my bigger guns," Filch replied as he opened his door.

"Get in here, the lot of you," he ordered waving them in as he entered. Past the door was a small room, consisting of a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. Sitting at the foot of the bed was a cat bed. There were two doors, one open and leading to a bathroom. Filch made his way to the second one.

Throwing it open, he quickly walked in, followed by the others. What they saw made them all go slack jawed in surprise.

"Merlin's beard!" Hagrid exclaimed as he walked in and looked around.

The door led to a large room, packed to the brim with weapons and tools. From the wall hung dozens of guns of every seeming shape and size. A large workbench sat against one of the walls, tools and scraps spread across it. In one of the corners was a large object covered in a tarp.

"Wha' is all this, Filch?" Hagrid asked.

"My workshop," Filch replied simply.

"You build all these?" Fred asked.

"Well, the mechanical aspects," Filch explained.

"What do you mean?" George questioned.

"Well these are all enchanted guns and as you know, I'm a squib," Filch said as he fished through his armory.

"So who enchants them?" the twins asked.

"Your father," Filch replied with a grin, glancing over his shoulder at them.

"What!" the twins shouted simultaneously.

"Your father has always had a fascination with Muggle things, firearms among them. After talking to him for awhile, I convinced him to help me do some experiments with them."

"Isn' tha' illegal?" Hagrid asked.

"A little bit, at least according to the Ministry. Luckily, S.H.E.I.L.D. has a liking for our designs, so they keep the pressure off. How do you think the B.P.R.D. got their nifty weapons?" Filch explained.

"So you make weapons for soldiers?" Peeves asked.

"No, just design them," Filch answered.

"So you're going to use these to fight those trolls?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, especially because Dumbledore is gone and the rest of the teachers will be busy protecting the students," Filch answered, "But it isn't gong to be just me."

"What?" George asked.

"You all are going to help me," Filch responded.

"How?" Fred questioned.

"Well first, let me show you all something," Filch said as he went over to one of the corners of the room. He began rummaging through some items before pulling out a large item with a heave. The item was a large chaingun, its ammo belt running into a large tub that appeared to have been outfitted to be placed on someone's back.

"Wha's tha'?" Hagrid asked.

"This is one of me and Arthur's newest creation. Arthur named it Giant Killer and then nicknamed it Jack."

"Jack?" Fred asked.

"Some Muggle story that Arthur knew," Filch replied dismissively.

"It looks like a bunch of your firearms tied together," George commented.

"That's the general idea," Filch explained.

"So are you gonna carry tha' into battle?" Hagrid asked.

"No, you are," Filch responded.

"Wha'!" Hagrid exclaimed.

"Have you seen the size of this thing?" Filch asked, "You're the only one who can carry it. Hell, I built it with you in mind."

"But…I don't know 'ow to use tha' bloody thing!" Hagrid argued.

"I'll give you a crash course, it's pretty easy when you get the hang of it," Filch explained as he walked across the room, "I also have something for you Peeves."

"For me?" Peeves asked happily.

"Well two things actually," Filch responded as he walked over to the large, tarp covered object sitting in the corner. He quickly pulled it off, revealing what looked like a large, diving suit. It had a large globe for covering the head, and metal plates sewn into the heavy fabric.

"What is it?" Peeves asked.

"I got inspired by the thing that poltergeist fellow from the B.P.R.D. was wearing when he was here. The principles pretty simple, you just take it over and use it like a puppet."

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" Peeves shouted excitedly, flying around the room.

"There's a catch though," Filch said, causing Peeves to freeze midair.

"What is it?" Peeves asked, hanging upside down in the air to look Filch in the face.

"You have to do what I say, when I say it," Filch stated with a stern look.

"What if I don't?" Peeves asked with a sly smile.

"I was hoping you would ask that," Filch replied with a grin before he walk to another corner and pulled something else out. The item resembled an oversized vacuum cleaner, with runes written over the containment unit.

"Me and Arthur have also been working on this," Filch stated, patting the containment unit.

"What is it?" Peeves asked, a slight hint of worry creeping into his voice.

"Well after we saw the damage You-Know-Who stirred up in his ghostly form, me and Arthur decided to figure out a way to contain such an individual. We even got Dumbledore himself to help us out."

"So it…" Peeves trailed off a nervous look on his face.

"That's right Peeves," Filch said with a large grin, "It traps ghosts."

"You're bluffing."

"Just ask Nearly-Headless Nick, he volunteered to be tested on. Took us a month to get him back out."

Peeves gulped noisily.

"So this is how it is Peeves. Either you do what I say or you get the can. Alright?"

Peeves suddenly zipped in front of Filch and saluted, holding his transparent body rigid.

"Poltergeist private Percival Peeves prepared to show his prowess, sir!" Peeves exclaimed.

"Good to hear," Filch replied before turning to the twins, "As for the two of you, I'm going to give you a crash course in firearms and then we're going to clean up this castle. Got it?"

Everyone nodded at him, causing Filch to smile.

"Sounds good."

_Meanwhile_

A red light filled a darkened hallway as Orikal and Ulik walked in. They walked down the hall to a normal looking door.

"It is in here, my lord," Orikal informed him.

"Excellent," Voldemort's voice floated in, "I've been waiting a long time for this."

Orikal reached out prepared to grab the knob, before pulling back.

"There's something on the door," Orikal said with an air of caution.

The door seemed to take on a liquid state, the front running like wet paint. Suddenly it seemed to ripple before the Straw Man stepped out, flashing a disturbed smile.

"Sorry, employees only," he chuckled darkly as he stood in front of them.

"Step aside scarecrow," Voldemort demanded.

"Name's Straw Man actually. Where are you, snake face?" Straw Man asked, walking around and stretching his neck to look.

"Tha wizad's righ' here," Ulik growled as he pushed Orikal to the side. When Orikal moved to the side, Straw Man saw that a face was now on Ulik's stomach. Voldemort sneered at Straw Man.

"Your looking as ugly as ever," Straw Man jibbed, completely unfazed.

Voldemort snarled, before Ulik stepped forward.

"Yer out numberd Scarecrow," Ulik said, "Youz best give up."

"It does seem like there are more of you then me," Straw Man agreed, "Let's see if we can fixed that."

He rolled over to the door, before sticking his hands into the paint-wood, causing it to ripple. Grunting with effort, he pulled on something on the other side. Slowly, he continued to pull until the head of a giant dog came through. The others watched as Straw Man continued to pull until a huge three headed dog stood before Voldemort and the trolls.

"This is my friend, Fluffy," Straw Man said as he hopped onto the dog's central head, "Say hello to our tasty friends, boy."

All three heads growled viciously as they leaned down over the two before pouncing, all three jaws opened to attack.

A/N: Another cliffhanger! I know some of you mentioned disliking them last time, but let me tell you that I couldn't figure out an non-cliffhangy ending for this seeing as I'm breaking this into two chapters. In addition, I wanted to give some of the background characters more spotlight, so I hope you guys liked it as well as the rest of the chapter! Until next time, Later True Believers!


	17. The Heart of a Star: Part 2

**Chapter 17: Heart of a Star: Part 2**

An explosion ripped through one of the hallways of the old castle as a wall collapsed into the hall. A second later, Percy Weasley half ran, half stumbled out and rushed down the hall. A second later, Nandita hopped out of the hole and made a slashing motion with her hands, causing a wave of pink energy to shoot after Percy. It caught the ground under his feet, causing it to lurch upwards and send him tumbling to the ground.

Percy grunted as he rolled across the ground and came to a stop. Nandita smiled as she rushed over to him, hoping to finish him off. Percy quickly rolled onto his back, before waving his wand at her. The motion caused an invisible force to hit Nandita, sending her tumbling back through the air.

Percy quickly pulled himself to his feet as he pointed his wand shakily at Nandita. The pink haired girl chuckled as she stood up.

"Not bad, Weasley," she said with a sinister smile, "but you and I both know that you can't beat me."

"We'll see," Percy said with determination, holding his wand out defensively.

Nandita swept her hands upwards, causing the floor to surge upwards like a wave. As the stone approached him, Percy quickly cast a spell at it, causing the center of the wave to explode. Percy covered his face as rocks were sent flying in every direction. As he let down his hands, he saw a pink flash as Nandita struck him in the chest with a magic bolt, sending him flying backwards.

Percy groaned as he pushed himself back to his feet. Looking up, he just managed to dodge another bolt of energy, which blasted a hole in the wall behind him. Percy quickly twirled his wand at the debris, causing a cloud of dust to kick up.

"You can't hide from me, Weasley!" Nandita shouted as she searched the cloud.

"Who's hiding?" Percy said from nearby.

"_Bombarda_!" he shouted, creating a blast of concussive force that hit Nandita hard in the side. The blast sent her tumbling through the air, before she hit the ground hard and rolled to a stop. Nandita groaned as she picked herself up off the floor, holding her side in pain as her head spun.

Percy quickly stepped out of the smoke, pointing his wand at Nandita. She quickly pointed one of her hands at him, pink energy flowing around it. Percy quickly twirled his wand, causing Nandita's arm to lock up. At the same time, the energy ran up and down her arm, causing her to hiss in pain.

"You give up?" Percy asked.

"Please," she replied, smiled, "You think I can't take a little pain?"

At the same time, she shot a bolt into the ground. The pink energy spread out like a wave. When it came into contact with Percy, it ran up his body, causing him to seize up and shake in pain, his mouth open in a silent scream. After a few seconds, he fell to the ground with a thud.

"I'm a bad girl you know," Nandita said with a smirk as she walked over to where Percy lay, putting a foot on his chest. She smiled down at him, running a hand across her thigh as she licked her lips. "I know what it's like to be punished."

"Any last words?" she asked holding her hand over him, glowing pink with energy.

"I got two!" a voice yelled from around the corner of the hall. It was followed by the rumbling of large footsteps approaching. Nandita turned around just in time to see what resembled a large, stout diving suit race around the corner and leap at her.

"SUCKER PUNCH!" it bellowed as it thrust its metal plated fist at her. The fist met her jaw with a loud crack and the momentum carried her off Percy and into the air. She tumbled through the air before landing on the ground with a thud. She moaned before slumping over and falling into unconsciousness.

The suit landed on the other side of Percy with a thud, cracking the floor a little. Rearing up, it quickly flexed its muscles in a show of victory.

"Oh yeah! How you like that!" it said as it danced around, "I was just like "Pow! Right in the kisser!"

"Peeves!" Filch's voice floated down the hallway. The suit turned around in response.

Filch raced around the corner, carrying what looked like a modified machine gun. He was followed by Fang and Mrs. Norris. A second behind them came the Weasley twins, both armed with Tommy guns. Finally Hagrid lumbered around, carrying Jack in his hands, the ammo pack strapped to his back.

"Peeves, what did I tell you about running off!" Filch yelled, "That's a very delicate piece of equipment you're carrying!"

It was then that Percy noticed the suit had a large metal canister with runes draw upon it strapped to its back.

"Sorry," the suit replied, scratching the back of its dome in a nervous gesture, "but I heard the fight and I wanted to help. If I hadn't shown up, Wittle Weasley here would be dead."

It was only then that everyone seemed to notice Percy laying on the ground.

"Peeves?" George asked.

"Saving Percy?" Fred replied.

"What a positively preposterous presumption!" they both said, before laughing.

"Peeves?" Percy asked as he picked himself off the floor, looking at the suit.

"Hi," Peeves responded cheerfully, giving a little wave.

"How?" Percy asked.

"No time to explain, what's going on Percy?" Filch asked, grabbing the boy's shoulder and turning him to look at him.

"…Why do my brother's have Muggle weapons?" Percy questioned, looking past Filch at the twins.

"Filch gave them to us!" Fred answered with a smile.

"We've been conscripted!" George continued.

"You gave my brothers firearms?" Percy asked Filch, a look of confusion and horror on his face.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, now tell me what you know!" Filch demanded.

"You gave my brothers firearms!" Percy asked again, anger seeping into his voice.

"That's not important now!" Filch responded.

"You gave my brothers firearms!" Percy shouted in Filch's face.

Filch's hand snapped out and smacked Percy across the face.

"Get a hold of yourself boy!" Filch shouted, "Would you rather I left them completely defenseless!"

Percy grumbled as he rubbed his cheek but didn't argue.

"Now what's going on?" Filch demanded.

"I'm not sure, Raven was fighting some dragon creature that Satana claimed was my brother Charlie," Percy explained.

"What!" the twins shouted in unison, rushing up to flank Filch.

"That's what she said," Percy said with a sigh as he looked at his feet, "and I believe her."

"So Satana's part of this?" Filch asked.

"Yeah and as you can see, so is Nandita," Percy continued, motioning towards where Nandita lay.

"So where is Satana now?" Filch asked.

He was answered by a large explosion as one of the wall burst outward. Along with the rubble, Daimon rolled across the ground to a stop. A second later, Satana leaped through the hole, chasing after her brother. Daimon flipped himself to his feet, just in time to catch a punch thrown by Satana. He quickly pulled her off balance, before slamming her head with his free hand. The force of the blow sent her to and then through the floor, leaving a large hole in it. Without a word, Daimon jumped in after her, disappearing from sight.

"Well that answers that," Filch said, as everyone stared at the hole.

"We have to help him!" Percy shouted moving towards the hole. He was cut off however when a group of trolls ran around the corner.

"Get back!" Filch shouted, grabbing Percy's collar and yanking him back.

As he did he quickly pointed his weapon at the incoming trolls. At the same time, the twins quickly hurried up besides him, flanking him and holding their weapons a bit unsteadily.

"Hagrid, get the Giant Killer warmed up," Filch shouted over his shoulder, as the trolls approached.

"Righ'!" Hagrid said as he pushed a button on the gun, causing the barrel of the gun to slowly start spinning.

"Okay boys, we only got a few seconds before Jacks all revved up," Filch explained with one of his crooked smiles, "Let's give 'em hell!"

At that signal, Filch and the twins began to unload on the advancing trolls, the hallway echoing with the thunderous applause of hundreds of bullets being fired. The trolls in front let out cries of pain as they were riddled with magical bullets. They fell backwards almost smothering those behind them. But they kept pressing forward. Suddenly a high pitched whine caught Filch's ear.

"Everyone down!" He shouted as he fell to the ground, dragging the twins with him. At the same time, Peeves grabbed Percy and fell to the ground as well.

As split second after they did a literal storm of bullets flew over their head, erupting from the twisting barrel of Hagrid's weapon. They pierced through the approaching trolls, tearing them to shreds.

"'Ow ye like tha'!" Hagrid shouted over the deafening sound of the gun, "I said 'ow ye like tha'! I can't 'ear ye, ye 'ave ta speak louder! Cry louder! Cry some more!"

Hagrid began laughing rather manically as the last troll fell, virtually pulverizing the wall behind them.

"Hagrid!" Filch shouted as the giant man continued to laugh, "HAGRID!"

"Eh?" Hagrid said as he gave his head a shake, releasing the trigger. Jack slowly spun to a stop, smoke rising like a volcano from its multiple muzzles.

"You got a little carried away there," Filch reported, eyeing Hagrid with slight suspicion.

"Oh," Hagrid said looking around at the stunned faces watching him and the destruction he had caused, "Sorry 'bout tha'"

"Happens to the best of us," Filch answered, walking up and patting Hagrid on the shoulder, "Now let's go see if any of the student's are in trouble."

The others nodded in agreement before they began making their way back towards Gryffindor tower.

_Meanwhile_

Red and black fire illuminated one of the dark halls of the castle. Satana nimbly flipped away from the flames shot at her by her brother. Skidding to a halt, she quickly charged forward, leaping through the flames as they dissipated. She punched Daimon across the face, sending him stumbling back. Pressing her attack, Satana leapt into the air and threw a kick at Daimon's head. Daimon however managed to recover in time, and grabbed her leg before the blow connected. Shifting his weight, Daimon swung Satana through the air. Swinging low, he smacked her head against the floor, before whirling her around and threw her into the wall, putting a hole in it.

Taking advantage of the lapse, Daimon quickly slammed his hands together and created his trident. He then stepped through the hole, his weapon at the ready. Suddenly, Satana leaped out of the shadows, trying to claw at her brother. Daimon quickly blocked with the handle of his trident as they fell to the ground. Rolling with the momentum, Daimon fell to his back before kicking Satana off with his feet. Daimon quickly leapt to his feet as Satana picked herself up. He turned and rushed at her, stabbing at Satana with the trident. She grabbed it by its handle before it connected, and then kicked Daimon in the chest, sending him stumbling back with the weapon still in his hands.

Satana quickly hopped back to her feet, before she slammed her hands together. Pulling them apart, a line of fire formed between them. Grabbing one of the ends, she quickly pulled her hands apart, the line of fire forming into a long whip. She cracked it viciously, glaring at her brother. She lashed out at him, but he blocked with his trident, causing the whip to wrap around the handle. Daimon yanked on the trident, attempting to pull the whip out of her hands, but she held on. Smirking at Daimon, Satana yanked back on the whip and managed to pull the trident out of her brother's hands. Grabbing it out of the air with her free hand, Satana twirled it expertly while cracking her whip, smiling sadistically at her brother. Daimon looked nervously at his sister, before he spat a fireball at her.

Satana quickly leaped over the blast, flipping through the air as her whip corkscrewed around her. Landing a short distance from him, she lashed out with the whip, snagging his leg. Yanking backwards, she pulled him off his feet, causing him to land hard on his back. Before he could react, Satana put a foot on his chest and held the trident to his neck.

"I suppose you'll want your last words now, dear brother?" she mocked.

Suddenly, a large blue hand wrapped around the trident's handle, holding it in place. Satana looked up and saw Blue looming over her.

"I may," he said in his deep, rumbling voice, "But I've always believed actions speak louder then words."

Blue quickly snapped his arm up, smacking Satana in the chin and sending her flying across the room and disarming her of the trident. Turning to Daimon, he offered his hand and helped pick him up.

"Blue?" Daimon asked, "What are you doing here?"

"My master was injured, but was able to summon me and ordered me to find and assist you," Blue explained.

"Bastion's hurt? Is he okay?" Daimon questioned with a sense of worry.

"His injuries are, to my knowledge, not extensive, but he has been incapacitated none the less."

"Okay then-GAK!" Daimon let out a strangled noise as Satana's whip wrapped around his throat.

"Forget about me?" she asked from the other side of the room. She gave a hard yank on the whip, causing Daimon to fall to the ground as he struggled to remove the whip from his neck.

Blue quickly grabbed the whip and gave it a sharp yank, which pulled Satana right off her feet. As she flew through the air, she let go of the whip, allowing Daimon to pull it off. As she fell through the air, Blue threw a punch at her, striking her hard in the stomach. The blow sent her flying across the room again and through a wall, causing her to tumble into the hallway.

Blue and Daimon quickly rushed after her, climbing through the hole that Blue had made. By the time they had arrived, Satana had already picked herself up, and spat a fireball at them as they came into view. Blue quickly dove back through the hole as Daimon leapt over it.

Landing, he quickly rushed at Satana, throwing a punch at her head. She quickly ducked below the attack, before sending a kick at his midsection. He quickly dodged, hopping out of the way, allowing Satana to rise back to her feet. They both regained their footing, before glaring at each other and charging. They threw punches at each other, striking each other in the face. The force sent both stumbling backwards into walls on the either side of the hall. As Satana tried to recover, Blue burst from the wall behind her, grabbing her arms and holding her still.

"Unhand me, foul creature!" she screeched.

"No need for insults, half breed," Blue replied without a hint of irony.

"So this is what it's come to, Ana?" Daimon asked, short on breath as he walked over to where Blue was holding her, until they were only a foot apart.

"I believe you've already asked me that tonight, Daidai," Satana sneered.

"But why! Why would you throw your lot in with him?" Daimon demanded.

"Because he's a means to an end, dear brother," Satana replied, her tone like she was talking to a child.

"A means? To what?" Daimon asked.

"We both know the prophecy about your little friend Raven, Daidai," she said with a sinister smile.

"You're trying to release Trigon?" Blue asked.

"And our father," Satana added.

"And having Voldemort on your side is going to help?" Daimon questioned.

"An easily manipulated yet powerful dark wizard on our side? Yes I think that will help," Satana replied with a smirk.

"So this was all a ploy to get Voldemort on your side?" Daimon inquired.

"Very perceptive of you, dear brother," Satana answered.

"Well it's all over now," Daimon said sternly, "They'll send you to Azkaban for this, Ana."

"They'll have to catch me first," she replied. Suddenly, she leaned against Blue and kicked out with both feet, hitting Daimon square in the chest and sending him stumbling backwards. Before Blue could react, she flipped herself above his head, slipped out of his grip and rebounded off the wall back onto the ground. Running as soon as she hit the ground, Satana rushed over to one of the large windows in the hall and leapt through it before anyone could stop her. She twisted through the air, before landing in a crouched position on a roof a few stories down.

Daimon quickly picked himself up and rushed over to the window, watching as Satana nimbly leapt across the roof tops of the castle. Daimon moved to go after her, but was stopped by Blue's large hand on his shoulder.

"Let her go, boy," Blue said, "We have more important things to worry about."

Daimon growled in frustration as he watched his sister go. As she reached the edge of the castle, she turned back to the window. She smiled and blew a kiss back at them before turning and leaping over the edge, disappearing from view.

"I'm not so sure of that," Daimon mumbled to himself before turning and leaving with Blue.

_Meanwhile_

The roof of Hogwarts had become a war zone, the masonry dotted with cracks, craters and scorch marks. Misty and Harry were currently rushing across the damaged stone work, desperate to avoid the Dragon Man, who was hot on their heels. With a roar, he shot out another fireball at them. Misty saw the attack coming, and quickly took to the skies, grabbing Harry and pulling him up with her, out of harms way. Dragon Man roared again, before flying up after them. Misty screamed as she felt Dragon Man snatch at her foot, before she quickly dipped back down and landed back on the battlements with Harry.

Dragon Man let out another roar as he circled back around, preparing to dive bomb them.

"He's coming back!" Misty shouted as they both watched him.

"I see him!" Harry replied, pointing his wand at the approaching creature.

"_Petrificus Totalus!_" Harry cried as he pointed his wand at Dragon Man. A look of dread crossed his face when he saw the spell had no effect.

"I think I remember something about dragon's being resistant to magic," Misty moaned.

"Looks like that's right. Run!" he shouted, turning and rushing away from Dragon Man, Misty right behind him.

"Get down!" Misty shouted, shoving Harry to the ground as she dove for cover herself. A second later, Dragon Man passed right over them, snatching at the now empty air. With a thud, he landed on the battlements, his claws digging into the stone as he ground to a halt.

Misty quickly picked herself up off the ground as Dragon Man turned around to face them. Moving quickly, Misty took to the air and rushed at Dragon Man. She struck him hard across the face with her fist, causing him to stumble back. She winced in pain and held her hand protectively against her chest.

Dragon Man growled as he turned back to her. Acting quickly, she raked her claws across his chest. Instead of leaving long gouges in his flesh though, it was like running her claws across metal, even causing sparks to shoot off. Dragon Man roared at her, completely uninjured before he swiped at her, sending her tumbling across the battlement. She rolled to a stop and curled into the fetal position, holding her stomach and crying softly in pain.

Dragon Man growled some more as he stalked over to her, his footsteps echoing across the castle. Harry pointed his wand at him in an attempt to protect his friend, but Dragon Man chased him off by spitting another fireball at him, forcing Harry to dive for cover. Dragon Man loomed over Misty, her fearful eyes looking up into his hungry ones. As he opened her jaws wide, she shut her eyes tight and let out a small sob.

"_Bombarda!_" a voice called out before Dragon Man was shot backwards with the force of a cannonball. Looking up, Misty saw Professor Snape standing near Harry, his wand held aloft.

"Get up, Kilgore," he ordered, not looking at her. She immediately complied, hopping to her feet and scurrying behind him.

Dragon Man roared in fury as he stood up, glaring daggers at Snape. Snape calmly returned the gaze, never moving an inch. Dragon Man began to stomp towards him, growling savagely. He was stopped however, when a lasso of silver light appeared and tightened around his neck. Dragon Man gagged as he stumbled to a stop, clawing at the silvery strand, but he couldn't remove it. There was a sharp yank, and Dragon Man was pulled on to his back. Standing behind him was Professor McGonagall, the silver strand leading to her wand.

Dragon Man roared as he tried to get up. Suddenly, Professor Flitwick appeared at her side and cast a similar spell, wrapping a silvery lasso around one of Dragon Man's arm. He pulled it back, trapping Dragon Man's arm. A second later, Professor Sprout rushed up and cast the same spell, snagging Dragon Man's other arm. Working together, the three pulled Dragon Man to the ground. As he struggled on the ground, Snape cast the spell as well, entangling Dragon Man's legs. Dragon Man thrashed about, pulling at his multiple constraints.

"I suggest you two leave," Snape said over his shoulder to Harry and Misty. The two nodded and began to make their way off the battlements.

Suddenly, Dragon Man let out a bellowing roar as he snapped his head to the side and latched his jaws onto the strand holding his left arm. His teeth cleaved right through it and the magic dissipated, sending Professor Sprout stumbling backwards. Dragon Man quickly snapped the strand holding his other arm as well, before grabbing the one around his neck with both hands. Yanking it a bit forward, he caused McGonagall to stumble forward as he gained some slack. Holding it up to his mouth he bit through it, releasing his neck. He then spread his large wings and took off into the air, forcing Snape to release the spell or be dragged along with him.

"Run!" Snape shouted at the children before Dragon Man slammed back onto the wall, knocking everyone off their feet. He spewed fire at the three teachers in front of him, forcing them to seek cover. He then turned and shot a fireball at Snape. Snape barely managed to put up a shield before the fireball hit, the impact destroying the shield and sending Snape tumbling across the wall. Dragon Man watched Snape for a second before turning his gaze onto Harry and Misty.

"Come on!" Misty shouted, grabbing Harry's hand and running away from Dragon Man. The creature let out a roar before chasing after them. Wrapping both arms around Harry, she leapt off the wall and soared into the sky, Dragon Man following suit. She zigzagged through the air, dodging Dragon Man as he swiped and shot fire at them. Harry noticed she seemed to be looking for something.

"What are you looking for!" he shouted over the rushing wind.

"Before I caught up with you, Hermione came up with a plan!" Misty explained, "I had hoped the teachers could handle the Dragon Man, but looks like we'll have to give it a try!"

Suddenly, a blue light brightly illuminated one of the large windows of the castle.

"There!" Misty shouted before diving towards the window. Curling around Harry protectively, they smashed through the window, rolling to a stop on the floor as glass shards fell around them. Looking up, Harry saw that Ron, Tim and Hermione were standing in the hallway with them.

"Tim!" Hermione shouted.

"Right!" Tim replied as he rushed up to the now broken window. Spreading his legs wide, Tim took a deep breath before shutting his eyes in concentration. The air seemed to ripple around him as his hands began glowing.

"We may want to turn away," Hermione suggested, the others nodding and complying.

Dragon Man roared as he swooped down and landing on the window sill, shattering the rest of the window. He glared down at them, before his eyes caught Tim standing in front of him. Tim pointed his hands at Dragon Man before they flared brightly. A column of light shot out of Tim's hands and into the night sky, causing the air to swirl rapidly. The sound of the window cracking and breaking away, sill and all, accompanied by Dragon Man's roar of pain filled the hallway. Then, the light faded and everyone could see a giant hole where the window once was, with Dragon Man no where to be seen.

Tim stumbled over to where the window had been. Looking down, he saw Dragon Man laying down on the ground, rubble strewn about him. Smoke slowly rose from his body. Ron walked up besides him.

"Is he alive?" Ron asked, worry in his voice.

"I think so," Tim said with a weak voice. He wobbled on his feet before falling, Ron barely managing to catch him.

"Bloody hell! Not again!" he shouted as he held the other boy up.

"Come on, we have to go!" Hermione shouted, ushering them away. Misty quickly picked up Tim and they all rushed down the hall. They ran through the castles hallways, an eerie sense of déjà vu washing over them.

As they approached one of the corners, they stopped when Straw Man came flying into view and smash into a stone wall. He slumped to the floor, but quickly picked himself up. A second later, he quickly jumped into the air as Ulik ran forward and tried to skewer him with his spear. It instead dug into the stone and Straw Man landed on the hilt. Doing a handstand on it, he quickly kicked Ulik in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. Hopping off the spear, Straw Man looked around and noticed the kids standing a few feet away from him.

"What are you all doing here!" he shouted, before pointing in the direction they came, "Run!"

At that moment, the spear embedded in the wall began to wiggle violently before it broke free. The spear spun through the air, knocking Straw Man's legs out from beneath him. A second later, Ulik ran back into view and tried to skewer Straw Man to the floor. Straw Man managed to roll out of the way, hopping to his feet between Ulik and the children.

Ulik slowly turned to face them, resting his spear on his shoulder as he did so. The children gasp in surprise and fear as Harry slapped his hand to his forehead while shouting in pain. Through his fingers, he managed to see the horribly deformed face looking at him from Ulik's stomach. Voldemort's face.

"It seems fortune favors me tonight," the face sneered.

"Run!" Straw Man shouted, turning to the others for a second. That was all Ulik needed, as he stabbed Straw Man with his spear, running him through. The children screamed as a look of surprise and pain crossed Straw Man's face. Whirling around, Ulik swung his spear around, sending Straw Man flying through the air, ink trailing from him like blood. He slammed hard into the wall, slumping to the ground.

Ulik shouldered his spear again, ink dripping off its tip while he turned around again, allowing Voldemort to face the children.

"Now then, where were we?" Voldemort asked.

"Run!" Harry shouted through the pain, as he and the others turned to run. They were stopped though, when the wall to their right exploded in a shower of stone and dust. Hagrid's giant, three headed dog came tumbling out into the hall, followed by the troll wizard, Orikal.

The kids screamed in fright and skidded to a stop as Fluffy picked himself up, shaking all three of its heads. Snarling, he leapt at Orikal, all three sets of teeth bared. Orikal quickly created an energy shield to protect himself. The monster dog slammed into the shield, the force of the blow cracking the floor, but leaving Orikal unharmed.

"Quickly!" Hermione shouted as she rushed forward, darting between Fluffy's legs. Ron and Misty, still carrying Tim, followed with Harry picking up the rear. They zigzagged through the dog's massive legs before getting clear in the corridor. Suddenly, a wall of red energy with a large eye in the middle popped up between Harry and the others. Harry slammed hard into the wall, rebounding off of it and stumbling backwards.

"Harry!" Ron shouted as the others turned around and saw Harry has been cut off.

"Go!" Harry yelled at his friends, urging them to leave.

"We can't leave without you!" Misty cried.

"You'll have to, now get out of here!" Harry shouted as he waved them away. A loud stomping noise came from behind Harry and he turned to face, finding Ulik rushing at him, spear raised. Screaming in panic, he dove to the side as Ulik stabbed at him. The point dug into the energy wall, sticking out the other side slightly.

"RUN!" Harry shouted as he got to his feet, before running into the hole that Fluffy had created in the nearby wall. The others looked at each other reluctantly before turning and running away.

"I'ma stick ya good, boy!" Ulik chuckled as he walked through the hole after Harry. Harry had backed himself against one of the walls, looking at Ulik with fear filled eyes. Ulik chuckled in pain, before stopping with a confused look on his face.

"AAAAAAGHHH!" he shouted as he gripped his head and stomach, dropping his spear.

"What are you…AGH…doing!" Ulik cried as he jerked in pain.

"I'm improving on our…"relationship"" Voldemort commented as his face made its way up Ulik torso to his head.

"Stop!" Uik shouted as he fell to his knees, "STOP!"

Harry watched in horror as Voldemort's face crawled up Ulik's neck and fused with the troll's own. Ulik screamed in pain as he threw his head back and covered his face with his hands. Then, the yelling suddenly stopped and Ulik lowered his hands to his sides. Slowly, he looked down at Harry, who barely suppressed a scream at what he saw.

Ulik's face had changed. His nose had shrunk into his face, leaving only two small slits for nostrils. His eyes were now yellow and slitted. His teeth were pointed and a forked tongue poked out of his mouth.

"Now I have you all to myself, Harry," Voldemort said with a grin as he looked down at Harry. As they made eye contact, a rush of pain swept from Harry's scar through his head. He cried out in pain as he cradled his head.

"What seems to be the problem, Harry?" he asked as he walked over to where Harry lay and picked him up. Suddenly, the skin on his hand began to sizzle and burn. Ulik's tough skin was largely uninjured though.

"You're mudblood of a mother's magic still protects you, I see," he commented as he dropped Harry back to the ground.

"Good thing this troll's body is a good deal tougher then a person's" Voldemort commented as he examined his now burned hand.

"None the less, no reason to take any unnecessary risks," he continued with a shrug before he bent down and picked up Ulik's discarded spear.

"No last words, Potter?" Voldemort snarled as he raised the spear up, pointing it at Harry.

"I am may have a few," a voice said from behind Voldemort. A second later, Voldemort cried out in pain as he arched his back.

Voldemort stumbled away, revealing Straw Man standing behind him, blood dripping down the blade of his scythe. He leapt up and swung at Voldemort again, but he countered with his spear. Roaring he pushed backwards, sending Straw Man stumbling away. Quickly regaining his footing, Straw Man whirled around and swung his scythe, sending an arc of black energy at Voldemort. Voldemort slammed the haft of his spear into the ground in response, creating an energy barrier that protected him from the attack.

"With the meld complete, both mine and Ulik's skills are now combined as one," Voldemort explained as he noted Straw Man's confused expression.

Taking advantage, Voldemort thrust his spear forward, causing a bolt of lightning to shoot at Straw Man. The bolt struck him hard in the chest, sending Straw Man flying through the hole Voldemort had entered through.

A second later, another wall burst open as Orikal tumbled through, quickly followed by Fluffy. Voldemort turned around as Orikal tumbled past him, all three of Fluffy's heads growling down at him. With a sharp bark, the right head lunged at Voldemort, but he stopped it with the haft of his spear. As the left bit at him, he quickly kicked it to the side before punching the middle one, sending Fluffy stumbling backwards.

Voldemort stabbed at the dog, hitting it in the shoulder. The dog roared in pain as it snapped at the spear with one of its head. With a single yank, Fluffy pulled the spear from both its shoulder and Voldemort hands. As the one head tossed the spear aside, another head bit Vodemort hard on the shoulder. Voldemort screamed in pain before he hit the dog on the side of the head.

Fluffy yelped in pain as the head let go. Growling in anger, Voldemort grabbed the center dog's head and lifted it up. Rushing below it, Voldemort put his massive shoulders and lifted the dog off its feet. Roaring in exertion, he tossed the dog into the ceiling with a resounding crash. Rolling out of the way, Voldemort avoided the dog crashing into the floor. The dog growled in pain as the floor cracked beneath it.

As Fluffy tried to recover, Voldemort picked up Ulik's spear before turning and facing it. Whirling the spear around, he slammed it into the floor, causing a fissure to shoot across the floor to where Fluffy lay. The fissure reached him, and the ground exploded from under Fluffy. The dog let out a yelp of fright as it fell through the hole to the floor below with a resounding crash.

Voldemort chuckled to himself as he looked down the hole at the now unconscious dog. He turned around and only had a second to duck as Straw Man swung his scythe at him.

"Why won't you die!" Voldemort demanded as he stabbed at Straw Man, who hopped nimbly out of the way.

"It'll take more than cuts and bruises to take down a scarecrow," Straw Man explained as he sent more energy slashes at Voldemort, forcing him to defend, "And I'm no ordinary scarecrow."

Dropping to his knees, Straw Man pulled his arm back before jabbing it into the ground. There was a moment's pause followed by a loud rumbling noise, before a large spike made out of ink burst from below Voldemort. He cried in pain as the spike stabbed through his shoulder, lifting him off his feet and into the air. Voldemort gripped the spike in pain before Straw Man retracted the spike, allowing Voldemort to fall to the floor. Voldemort lay on the ground, holding his bleeding shoulder and moaning in pain.

"You're not getting away from me this time," Straw Man said as he approached Voldemort, his scythe raised to finish him off.

Suddenly, movement to his side caught Straw Man's eye. Turning quickly, he sliced downward with his scythe, cutting a red energy beam in half. The two halves hit the wall behind him, leaving Straw Man untouched. Looking up, he saw Orikal standing a short distance away, his hands raised.

Whirling his scythe around, Straw Man snarled before he rushed at Orikal. Orikal began shooting blasts at him with his palm eyes, but Straw Man managed to either block or dodge everything he threw at him. Closing on the last few feet between them, Straw Man leapt into the air, twirling his scythe above his head. Orikal held up his hand to fire another blast, but Straw Man was already to close. Orikal screamed in pain as Straw Man slashed downward, severing his hand and lower arm. Straw Man landed behind him as Orikal fell to his knees, cradling his arm against his chest, blood pouring from between his fingers.

"That the best you can do?" Straw Man asked as he turned around and held his scythe's blade to Orikal's neck.

"Not at all," Orikal replied with a smug smirk. Suddenly, a large purple eye opened on the back of Orikal's head. It flashed purple as it stared into the surprised Straw Man's eyes. Straw Man gave a sudden jerk before he became utterly still.

"Well done, Orikal," Voldemort said as he made his way over to where they stood.

"I live to serve, Lord Voldemort" Orikal replied with a bowed head.

"And serve you have," Voldemort stated with a sickening grin as he turned his attention to Straw Man, "So you say you are a scarecrow? Well, though I loathe to admit it, I know of a Muggle saying that best sums up my solution."

Holding his spear up with his good hand, Voldemort grinned as the spearhead lit on fire.

"I believe it goes, "How about a little fire, scarecrow?"" he quipped before stabbing Straw Man with his spear. Orikal quickly released the spell, allowing Straw Man the freedom to jerk and scream as he was consumed by the fire. Within seconds he was nothing but a pile of ash on the floor. Voldemort chuckled as he looked at the pile, a sinister grin splitting his serpentine features.

"Now, Harry, where were we before I was so rudely…" Voldemort's grin fell as he turned around and found Harry to be nowhere in sight. Looking around, he saw Harry trying to sneak away down the other hallway.

"Stop him!" Voldemort ordered.

Orikal quickly held up his hand, creating an energy barrier that cut off Harry's escape. Harry turned around, his eyes full of fear as Voldemort rushed after him. Looking to the side, he saw an unopened door. Seeing it as his only option, he rushed over to it. As he grabbed the doorknob, which felt cold and wet to him. Removing his hand, he look at it and found it was covered in paint of the same color as the doorknob.

Looking back, he saw Voldemort bearing down on him. Turning back to the door, he quickly touched it and found the wood to be of the same consistency. Then shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath he dove into the door, disappearing into it as it rippled like water.

Voldemort growled as he reached the door, glaring at it. He was about to follow when a sound caught his ear. Looking up, he heard the sound of more people approaching.

"Orikal!" he shouted, turning to face the smaller troll.

"Yes, my Lord?" Orikal asked as he rushed over.

"Hold them off, while I go after Potter and get what I came for," Voldemort ordered.

"I will do my best," Orikal answered with a bow.

"You had better just do it," Voldemort threatened, before turning and squeezing through the door, the paint rippling behind him.

With a nod, Orikal turned from the door and faced the hallway. Holding his injured arm against his body, he held up his good hand as all his eyes began to glow.

A/N: This one took awhile to get this one out, especially because my computer was out of commission for a few days. As the third week drew closer, I decided to cut this chapter short in order to get you guys some more action! Hope you guys don't mind, as this chapter was fun to write. Expect an explosive conclusion next chapter, only a few more to go until this fic is over. Later, True Believer!

P.S. After reading it over, I realize that no less then three of the villains say "Any last words?" before being blindsided. I decided not to change them because hey, it could happen, I'm clichéd like that, and I can't think of anything better for them to say. Oh well, I bet you'll enjoy it anyway.


	18. The Heart of a Star: Part 3

**Chapter 18: Heart of a Star: Part 3**

As Harry opened his eyes, he found himself in a strange, disorienting world. The sky was cloudy and stormy, lightning coursing through them every few seconds. A patchy grass field stretched as far as the eye could see. A breeze constantly blew across the field, stirring the grass. As Harry looked around, he couldn't help but feel the area was oddly surreal. The shadows seemed unnaturally dark, and the colors were strange.

The loud cawing of a crow caught Harry's attention. Looking in the direction of the noise, he saw a large dead tree off in the distance. Not knowing what else to do, Harry made his way over to it, pushing his way through the tall grass. When he reached the tree he saw that a large number of crows roosting in the tree. They watched him closely, remaining eerily silent.

As he approached the tree, something on the other side caught Harry's eye. Walking around, he saw a mirror. A very familiar mirror. Dropping his guard, he walked over to where the Mirror of Erisid sat. As he walked in front of it, he saw a large looming shadow behind him as the grass rustled.

"The Mirror of Erisid," Voldemort said smoothly.

Harry whirled around, finding Voldemort standing a few yards behind him. The crows continued to watch in silent vigil.

"I know what it is," Harry retorted, idly grasping his wand.

"Ah you do? You've grown into quite the clever boy, Harry," Voldemort said with mock sincerity.

"So it's the Mirror you're after?" Harry asked, his heart pounding.

"Hmmm, perhaps not as clever as I thought," Voldemort said with a tone of disappointment, "No Harry, I'm not after the Mirror, but what it contains."

"What it…contains?" Harry asked, confused.

"Yes, you see Harry, there is more to the mirror then just its ability to show you your desires. Great wizards have figured out how to use it to use it to contain actual, desired objects."

"So you're after whatever Dumbledore put in there," Harry surmised.

"Close. I am after what is in the Mirror, but Dumbledore did not put it in there," Voldemort explained.

"What?" Harry questioned.

"You see, you weren't exactly wrong when you said I was after the Mirror earlier," Voldemort stated, "It's been what Dumbledore has been hiding from me."

"So that's what you broke into Gringotts to steal," Harry said to no one in particular.

"Indeed it was," Voldemort said with a grin.

"But what is in the Mirror that is so important?" Harry asked.

"Well I suppose it is only fair that I tell you before I kill you," Voldemort chuckled, "You see, Harry, within the Mirror supposedly rests one of the most powerful magical artifacts in existence. The Starheart."

"The Starheart?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Voldemort answered, "It's supposedly a stone made of pure, solidified magic. Legends say that it fell from the skies, and that it was so powerful and shone so bright that it must have been the heart of a star."

"So it was a meteor?" Harry questioned.

"If you want to use such plain, Muggle terms, then yes. A meteor," Voldemort replied dismissively, "I care little for what it truly is. Power is power, after all."

"First things first," Voldemort said as he held up his spear, pointing it at Harry while smiling sadistically, "Time to die, Harry."

Suddenly, a crow flew down from the tree and landed on Voldemort's outstretched spear. It turned to look at Voldemort who regarded it with a confused expression.

Suddenly, the crows form rapidly shifted, until it was replaced by a man dressed from head to tow in black garb, leaving only his black eyes exposed. Before Voldemort could react, the man lashed out, slicing him across the face with a feather shaped knife. Voldemort cried out in pain as he slapped his hand to his face, dropping his spear to the ground. The man quickly leapt off the spear, landing gracefully on the ground. At the same time, the rest of the crows fly to the ground and transformed as well.

Blood poured out from between Voldemort's fingers as he looked around, finding himself surrounded by twelve of the crow men. Growling, he lowered his hand as he glared at the crow men.

"Pitiful fools!" he shouted as he held out his hand. Instantly, his spear sprang up and flew through the air into his hand.

"You won't stop me!" he roared, before pointing it at one of the crow men, "_Avada Kadava!_"

Instantly, a bolt of green energy shot out of the spear, striking one the crow men. He crumbled to the floor before dissolving into a puddle of ink. The others immediately began to attack, hurling knives at Voldemort. He covered his face with his massive arms as the rain of metal fell upon him. Knives stuck out of his arms and back but he did not fall. Growling, Voldemort reared up before slamming his spear into the ground, causing a shockwave of magic energy to shoot out. The blast knocked the crow men off their feet and scattered them through the air.

Harry watched in horror as Voldemort fought the crow men and desperately tried to think of something to do. As he looked around, he happened to glance at the Mirror and something caught his eyes.

Looking at the mirror he saw himself, as usual. Unlike normal though, his parents were not in the mirror with him. Instead, Harry's reflection stood by itself. Looking at it, Harry saw his reflection suddenly smirk at him. Reaching into its pocket, Harry's reflection pulled something out. It was a green, fist sized stone that seemed to glow with a light of its own. Harry's reflection eyed the stone before looking back at Harry and putting the stone back in his pocket. As he did, Harry felt a sudden weight in his own pocket. Glancing down, he saw the outline of something round in his pocket which glowed slightly. Looking back at the Mirror, he saw his reflection wink at him, before its eyes flashed with green light and it disappeared.

Harry was broken out of his shock when one of the crow men went flying by, landing in a heap next to the mirror before dissolving into a puddle of ink. Turning around, Harry saw Voldemort still battling the crow men. Whirling around, Voldemort swung his spear, slicing one of the crow men in half, causing him to dissolve into a spray of ink. Turning around again, he fired another Killing Curse, which seemed to pop another one like a balloon.

The remaining crow men surrounded Voldemort on all sides, looking for an opportunity to attack. In response, Voldemort made a few movements with his free hand. In a response, a globe of fire appeared before him. Holding it up to his face, he breathed into it, causing the fire to swirl around him. The fire slowly condensed before forming into a giant snake of fire. Hissing, it lashed out, snapping one of the crow men up, burning it up. The snake continued to swirl around them, snapping up the helpless crow men. When the fire finally dissipated all that remained was Voldemort and burnt grass.

Harry began to panic as he tried to think of something to do. Looking around, he saw one of the crow men's knives lying on the ground. He took a moment to wonder why it had not dissolved before he quickly picked it up, holding his wand with the other. Looking up, he saw Voldemort coming out of the smoke, laughing loudly as he did. Harry narrowed his eyes as Voldemort approached him, hiding the knife behind his back.

"Well there's an interesting look," Voldemort said, turning his head to the side in a look of curiosity, "So…fierce. No fear like before. Reminds me of your father."

Voldemort chuckled as he began to circle Harry who was careful to keep facing towards the dark wizard.

"Yes, you've no doubt been told that you have your mother's eyes. Even I noticed and I didn't even know them that well!" he said with a laugh, "Of course, its hard for me to forget the details of the night I died. Anyway, it is true that you have your mother's eyes, but that look…that look is your father's."

Voldemort bent over, his scarred and serpentine face inches from Harry's. Harry cringed as Voldemort's breath wafted over him.

"It's the same look he had right before I killed him. Defiant until the end, he died like a Gryffindor. Like a fool."

Harry let out a shout of anger as he slashed at Voldemort with the knife adding another cut to his already scared face. Voldemort roared in pain as he quickly pulled back, holding his face. Growling, he removed his hand and looked down at Harry.

"_Lumos Maxima!_" Harry shouted as he pointed his wand at Voldemort. As he finished the incantation, he looked away as a ball of light flared to life at the end of his wand. Voldemort screamed in surprise and pain as he covered his face with his hands while he stumbled backwards. Rushing forward, Harry pulled back his arm and stabbed Voldemort in the calf.

This hadn't been Harry's plan. He was going to blind Voldemort and make a run for it. But then Voldemort had brought up his parents and the plan went out the window. All he knew was that he was angry and he wanted to hurt Voldemort. Growling, he pulled the knife out of Voldemort's tough hide, blood slowly trickling out of the wound. Pulling back, he stabbed Voldemort's stomach, the blade barely pushing through the skin. Voldemort growled in agitation as he tried to clear his eyes.

"You bastard!" Voldemort shouted as he swung his massive arm wildly, backhanding Harry. Harry flew through the air before landing in a heap a few feet away. He coughed as he held his chests, his ribs burning in pain.

"That's it, no more distractions!" Voldemort roared as he stomped over to Harry, "I'm going to kill you here and…"

Voldemort stopped talking as he stared at where Harry lay. Following his gaze, Harry saw that the stone had slipped from his pocket and was laying a few feet away.

"The Starheart," Voldemort said in amazement, "Give it to me!"

Voldemort lunged at the stone, his large hand outstretched. At the same time, Harry scrambled across the ground before reaching out with his hand. Harry touched the stone a second before Voldemort did, and then a blinding flash of light engulfed him.

_Meanwhile_

Orikal stood in front of the door, his had stretched in one direction as he looked in the other, his injured arm held against his chest. Orikal was visibly straining as his various eyes glowed. Two barriers stood on either side of him, both of which were being pounded on relentlessly. On one side, both Peeves and Hagrid were savagely beating on the barrier, their fists making booming noises every time they struck. On the other side, a group of teachers were using a combination of spells to slowly bore through the barrier. It was only a matter of time before one of them broke through, but time was what Orikal was counting on.

Suddenly, a flash of pain shot through Orikal's skull as the barrier holding back Peeves and Hagrid collapsed.

"He's mine!" Peeves shouted as he rushed forward. By the time Orikal reacted, Peeves was already on him. Peeves thrust his fist into Orikal's stomach, causing him to lift into the air as blood and spit flew out of his mouth. As he was hanging in the air, Peeves pulled back his other fist and struck Orikal in the jaw, a loud cracking noise echoing through the hall. Orikal flew through the air before slamming into a wall and slumping to the ground.

"BOOM!" Peeves shouted as he flexed his muscles, "This is the most fun I've had in years! I take back everything bad I've said about you Filch. Trust me, it's a lot"

"Shut up, Peeves," Filch spat.

"So they're in 'ere?" Hagrid asked, indicating towards the painted door.

"Yes," McGonagall said as she approached the door, the other teachers behind her. Suddenly, one of the teachers, a middle aged woman with large glasses and curly brown hair swooned and fell, Snape barely managing to catch her.

"Sybill!" McGonagall exclaimed, turning to face her.

As the others watched, Sybil took a deep, gasping breath as her eyes clouded over. Then she began to speak in a deep, hollow voice.

"_The Child Who Lived's heart shall be replaced, and his light shall spread. The Dark Lord will slither like a serpent to the shadows to gather strength. But he shall return and doom will follow! The serpent will shed his skin and take a new form. The serpents will multiply and a den shall be made. The den shall cover the land and the crowned serpent shall climb the mountain and break the seal, and the Lady of the Fey shall walk again! Doom shall descend upon us all and the child's heart shall break! But hope shall fill him and he shall smite the serpent's ruin upon the mountain side and his crown shall be broken forever."_

As Sybil finished, she shook her head violently, and her eyes returned to normal. Looking around she found everyone standing around her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked looking at everyone with a confused expression.

_Meanwhile_

Harry opened his eyes, blinking at the bright light that surrounded him. In his hand was the green stone. The Starheart, as Voldemort had called it. Harry's hand tingled as if charged with static electricity.

"_Hello Harry,"_ a voice said.

"Who's there!" Harry said, looking around with a start. He saw no one.

"_That doesn't matter right now, Harry,_" the voice said urgently, "_You must not let him have the Heart. You must use it to defeat him._"

"But how?" Harry asked, feeling very confused.

"_The Heart is magic given form. Anything you wish, it can do. You must only will it,_" the voice explained.

"That's it? How will I know what to make?" Harry questioned.

"_I will be there to guide you,_" the voice responded, "_But I trust in you, Harry. You are a brave and bright young man. You will know what to do. Just use your imagination!"_

Suddenly, the light began to fade and Harry found himself back in the ink world. Looking around, he saw Voldemort a few feet away, apparently having been blown back.

"_It is time!_" the voice shouted, "_Prepare yourself_"

The stone began to glow even brighter as Harry felt a warmth come off of it. Suddenly, energy shot out of the stone, completely surrounding Harry. He watched as the stone seemed to sink into and fuse with his hand, though he felt no pain. Then it began to grow until it covered Harry's entire are in emerald plates, resembling a clawed gauntlet. Though the stone stopped growing there, Harry could feel its power flooding through him. His veins became more pronounced and glowed green through his skin. His eyes glowed as well, his irises and pupils hidden behind green light. His glasses fell from his nose but he barely noticed. His clothes and hair buffeted as the energy flowed around him. Even his hair turned from jet black to a dark green.

"No," Voldemort whispered as he picked himself up, "No! It can't be! The power should be mine!"

Harry clenched his emerald fist experimentally, examining it with a look of curiosity. Slowly, he turned back to face Voldemort, his glowing eyes narrowing.

"_Sorry,_" Harry said, his voice echoing as the cavity of his moth was illuminated by some unseen light, "_Not going to happen_."

Clenching his emerald fist, he pulled it back before thrusting it in Voldemort's direction. A ball of energy shot forward, taking on the shape of a large fist as it approached. Voldemort's eyes widened in surprise as he watched the fist approach, before it hit him square in the chest, sending him soaring through the air.

As Voldemort flew farther and farther, he suddenly seemed to hit something as the sky bent around him, like he had been thrown into a tapestry. The sky seemed to strain before it ripped with a loud tearing sound mixed with stone breaking.

As the group outside the door watched, Voldemort suddenly came tumbling out of the wall, rolling to a stop as rubble rolled around him. A few seconds later, Harry slowly stepped out of the hole. He walked lopsidedly, the weight of the emerald arm throwing him off. He walked with a slow determined gait, green enthrall flames licking the stone were he walked.

"'Arry?" Hagrid whispered as the gathered people all stared at him.

Slowly, Harry lifted his armored hand, pointing it behind him with his fingers outstretched. As he did the rubble glowed with the same green light that surrounded him, before it flew back to the hole and fitted into it, fixing the hole as if nothing happened.

By this time, Voldemort had picked himself up, pointing his spear at Harry while glaring at him.

"_Avada Kadava!_" he shouted as a bolt of green energy shot out at Harry.

"_No_" Harry whispered. As the bolt approached him, he simply held up his hand and batted the bolt aside like it was nothing.

Voldemort stared at Harry with a mixture of shock and fear while Harry looked back with a look of curiosity and impassiveness. Slowly, Harry began walking towards Voldemort, who snapped out of his astonishment and began firing other spells at Harry. Harry continued to impassively bat the spells away, some blasting huge chunks out of the wall as they hit.

Desperate, Voldemort rushed forward and stabbed at Harry with the spear. Harry merely held his armored hand up. As he did a small energy shield appeared in front of it. The spear tip slammed into the shield but couldn't break through, no matter how much force Voldemort put behind it.

With a flick of his wrist, Harry pushed the spear back. As Voldemort reeled, Harry swung his hand lazily through the air. As he did, an energy construct in the form of an open hand appeared before him and followed the same arc, slapping Voldemort across the face. Voldemort stood their stunned for a second, his cheek burning, before he turned back to Harry. As he did, Harry clenched his fist before swinging back, causing the fist to backhand Voldemort, sending him flying through the air.

As Voldemort flew, Harry dismissed the hand before forming an energy whip with his uncovered hand. Lashing out with it, it wrapped around Voldemort's leg. The whip grew taut and Harry pulled back, causing Voldemort to come flying back towards him. As he did, Harry formed a paddle out of the energy. When Voldemort got close enough, he swung the paddle, hitting Voldemort and sending him flying away again.

Harry repeated the pattern a half a dozen more times, before whipping Voldemort to the side and into a wall. Voldemort didn't break through the wall, and instead he slowly rose to his feet and stumbled towards Harry. Harry quickly formed a large frying pan out of the energy and hit Voldemort in the side with it, a loud metallic pang reverberating through the hall as Voldemort was hurled through another wall. Voldemort moaned as he lay on the ground, Harry slowly walking towards him. Harry quickly formed a giant fly swatter and smashed in down on Voldemort before doing it again for good measure.

Voldemort growled as he picked himself up again, struggling to stand as he glared at Harry, who merely stared back at him impassively. Slowly, Harry began to rise off the ground, the energy kicking up the dust around him. Harry then flew forward, straight at Voldemort, who growled and raised his fist to crush Harry. He swung and his massive fist hit nothing but air, as Harry literally flew into his chest, disappearing into his torso in a flash of green light.

Voldemort looked down at his chest in confusion before he suddenly jerked uncontrollably. He did it again and again, as flashes of green light appeared below his skin. Then, Harry reemerged in a flash of green light, standing on Voldemort's chest, holding a wisp of black smoke in his armored hand. Pulling on it, it trailed up Voldemort's body, all the way to his face. Voldemort screamed in pain as Harry continued to pull, before Voldemort's face melted away, revealing Ulik's beneath it. In Harry's hand was the black, snake-like cloud that was Voldemort's astral form. It hissed and struggled but could not seem to break free.

As they watched, Filch suddenly snapped out of his shock.

"Peeves!" he shouted.

"What?" Peeves responded, turning to face him.

"Use the container!" Filch ordered, motioning to the pack on Peeve's back.

Peeves slowly reached up behind his back, feeling the pack as if he just noticed it was there. Slowly, he turned to face where Harry and Voldemort were, before he pulled out the nozzle-like attachment for the pack and held it in front of him, his head tilted to the side in confusion. He quickly looked from Harry, then back at the nozzle, the back at Harry.

"Oh I get it!" Peeves exclaimed, snapping his fingers. Filch slapped a hand against his face in irritation.

Holding it up, Peeves pointed the nozzle at Voldemort's astral form, before pulling a trigger on its bottom. Instantly, a beam of multicolored light shot out, striking the form. Harry let go as the beam seemed to coil around Voldemort before it began reeling him in. Voldemort hissed and thrashed as he was pulled in, but it was futile. Within a few seconds, Voldemort had been sucked in, giving a last second hiss before his head was drawn in by the pack. Peeves stumbled back as he turned it off, the suction cutting off. He looked at the nozzle for a few seconds in amazement before letting out a whoop of joy.

As Harry watched, he noticed Ulik coming around, blinking his eyes and looking around in confusion.

"Wher' am I?" he asked groggily.

Harry looked at him, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. He then quickly formed an energy hammer and slammed it on top of Ulik, sending him crashing through the floor. Harry looked through the newly formed hole, seeing Ulik laying unconscious on the floor below.

Slowly Harry turned to face everyone, who were all staring at him.

"Harry?" McGonagall asked cautiously, "Are you alright?"

Suddenly, the power began to fade from Harry. His eyes changed to their normal color as did his hair. His veins stopped glowing and the emerald plates receded back to the single stone in his palm.

"_Well done, Harry_" the voice said within his head, "_It seems I made a good choice in you._"

Harry smiled as he looked at the others. Suddenly, his head started to swim and his legs became weak, before he collapsed.

"_It seems we may have over done it_" the voice said before Harry backed out.

A/N: Well, this chapter was really fun to do. I've been waiting to write this one for awhile, it almost feels like the whole fic has been working up to this point. For those who are wondering, Harry's powers are based off of Green Lantern, specifically the original Alan Scott version. I obviously took some artistic liberties with both the powers and the costume, but I hope you liked them. Also, bonus points for those who can remember were Alan Scott is in this series. Obviously, there was also a bit of Neo from the first Matrix movie thrown in there for good measure.

Also, its time for us to choose the next story! Except this time around, I want you guys to pick two stories. I figure that working on two at a time will help make the overall story go faster. I'm going to put the story ideas up on my page and let you guys vote on the two you want to see. It should be noted I removed two of the old ones, which were kind of prequels, which I did to keep the story moving forward. Only one more chapter left until this fic is done. Hope you guys are excited as I am for what comes next! Later, True Believers!


	19. Awakenings

**Chapter 19: Awakenings**

Slowly opening his eyes, Harry found himself in a black abyss. Only it wasn't completely black. Instead it was illuminated by thousands upon thousands of stars. Looking around, Harry was astonished by them all. He had never seen such a sight before.

"_Hello, Harry,_" the voice from before said. It was followed by a flash of bright green light.

When the light faded, it revealed a figure floating before him. It looked like a human man overall, though there were very distinct differences. He stood about three feet tall and possessed a rather large head, almost the size of his torso. His skin was light blue and his eyes bright green. His hair was white and his hairline was receding. He wore a red and white robe, with a the design of a circle, with two lines running parallel on it's top and bottom, and colored green, on its chest.

"Who…Who are you?" Harry asked.

"_Allow me to introduce myself, Harry. My name is Ganthet_," the small man replied.

"Ganthet?" Harry asked, "That's a strange name."

"_Yes, well it is my name_" Ganthet responded, a slight tone of irritation in his voice.

"Uh, sorry," Harry apologized, embarrassed, "What are you? If you don't mind me asking."

"_I do not,_" Ganthet replied, "_In your tongue, I am known as one of the Guardians of the Universe, one of the oldest races in existence._"

"Wow," Harry responded, "You're an alien? What are you doing here?"

"_Long ago, my people were trying to create a weapon to defend the people of the universe. We decided to gather the ambient arcane energy of the universe and use it. Thus we created what your people call the Starheart. Unfortunately, the Heart's power couldn't be used in the way we wished. We kept it so no one could abuse it. We didn't expect one of our own to betray us_," Ganthet explained, his eyes narrowing at the last part.

"One of your own people betrayed you?" Harry asked.

"_Yes, his name was Krona and he was mad for power._" Ganthet responded.

"What happened?" Harry questioned.

"_He stole the stone, and I tracked him down. I was able to wrestle the stone from him, but he destroyed my body in the resulting struggle. Somehow, the stone absorbed my consciousness and blasted Krona away. It then fell through space until it crashed on your planet._"

"And you've been trapped in it ever since?" Harry asked.

"_Yes, the stone's energy kept me alive throughout. I have been in a state of hibernation ever since, due to the long nature of my voyage._ _Since, I have periodically awoken to examine my situation, often when I felt some event occurring, such as when the stone was sealed inside the mirror._"

"Why didn't you try to get out?" Harry questioned.

"_The enchantment of the mirror was created so that I would have to choose someone to possess the stone in order to leave. The last person who wielded it abused its power terribly._"

"So after all this time in the mirror, you chose me?" Harry inquired.

"_Yes Harry I chose you. You have a brave and noble heart and had only the purest of intentions. I see great things in you Harry, as I'm sure others do, judging by all the people who have come to visit you while you sleep_."

"Sleep?"

"_Yes Harry you've been out for some time,_" Ganthet said, his voice fading away as the world around Harry became darker, "_But I believe it is time for both of us to wake up_."

The world around Harry went black, before he became aware he was lying down. Groaning, he slowly opened his eyes, squinting from the light that flooded them. Blinking a few times, his fuzzy vision could make out the ceiling of the infirmary. Grunting at his stiff muscles, Harry slowly lifted his head. As he did, he found Dumbledore standing at the foot of his bed.

"Hello, Harry" Dumbledore greeted him.

"Hello, Professor," Harry replied as he fumbled around for his glasses on the table besides him. Suddenly, his vision cleared as he felt his glasses being lowered onto his face. Looking up, he saw Straw Man's grinning face inches from his own. Harry let out a surprised cry as Straw leaped over him, landing gracefully at the foot of his bed next to Dumbledore.

"Good to see you too, Harry!" Straw chuckled.

"Straw!" Harry exclaimed, "but how? I saw Voldemort burn you!"

"You think a little fire could kill me?" Straw asked joyfully, "Sure, I had to reform, but as long as I have my painting, I can do that forever. Besides, who do you think gave you that knife to fight Voldemort with?"

"That's why that knife didn't disappear?" Harry asked.

"Yep. It wasn't a lot but it looked like it helped," Straw commented.

"Yeah, thanks," Harry thanked him.

"I believe we all owe you some thanks as well Harry," Dumbledore spoke up, "What you did was a very brave thing."

"Honestly Professor, it feels like I just stumbled into all this," Harry replied.

"Stumbled or not, you showed great courage in the face of danger Harry. You should be proud of yourself."

"I couldn't have done it without this," Harry stated, holding up his hand, revealing the Starheart imbedded in his palm.

"Ah yes, you bested Voldemort with the very item he wished to possess. A sort of irony, don't you think?" Dumbledore chuckled.

"But why did it choose me? I can't understand why Ganthet would pick me," Harry mused.

"Ganthet?" Straw asked.

"_Talking about me behind my back, Harry?_" Ganthet's voice asked.

Harry looked sheepish for a second, before he noticed the expression of surprise on the others' faces.

"You heard that too?" Harry asked.

Suddenly, the Starheart glowed before a construct in the shape of Ganthet sprung from it.

"Of course they did Harry," Ganthet remarked, "They have ears do they not?"

"My word…" Dumbledore said with astonishment.

"Professor Dumbledore, I presume?" Ganthet asked.

"Yes, and I take it you are the Guardian of the Heart?" Dumbledore replied.

"Yes. You may call me Ganthet," Ganthet introduced himself.

"I must say, I wasn't entirely convinced that you existed," Dumbledore stated.

"I like to keep to myself," Ganthet explained, a slight chuckle in his voice.

"Well still, I must thank you for saving Harry and defeating Voldemort," Dumbledore said.

"It was not I, Professor. True, I gave Harry the Starheart, but it was his will and his mind that wielded it," Ganthet said as he turned to look at Harry, smiling approvingly "Quite impressive, for one so young."

Harry blushed from the praise and scratched the back of his head.

"So you chose Harry to wield this power?" Straw asked.

"Indeed I did, I see much potential in him," Ganthet explained.

"Don't we all," Dumbledore replied, his eyes taking a far away look to them.

"Professor?" Harry questioned.

"You remember the prophecy concerning you, don't you Harry?" he questioned.

"Yes, sir," Harry responded, wilting slightly.

"Well, recently, there has been another," Dumbledore said solemnly.

"A-Another?" Harry cried in surprise.

Dumbledore nodded before reciting the prophecy that had been given on the night Harry received the Starheart.

"Wow," Harry said as he went over the prophecy in his head, "I guess I understand what the first part means, but I don't really understand the rest. It sounds like Voldemort will return."

"Not if we can prevent it, Harry," Dumbledore replied.

"But if it's a prophecy, how can we stop it. It's the future isn't it?" Harry questioned.

"The future is not set in stone, Harry," Dumbledore explained, "A prophecy is merely what could happen, not what will happen. A prophecy does not need to come true."

Harry was silent for awhile before nodding in agreement. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Harry looked up to see Straw smiling down at him.

"Don't worry about it, Harry. Either way, you got your friends to help you out," Straw said encouragingly.

"Speaking of which, your friends have been quite worried about you," Dumbledore said, indicating to Harry's bed table. Looking at it, Harry saw that it was covered with various sweets, some of them opened.

"It seems Mr. Weasley's stomach got the better of him," Dumbledore chuckled as he walked over to the table. Reaching down, he picked up and examined a box of Bott's Every Favored Beans.

"I had a bad experience with these as a child. I received a vomit flavored one and swore them off forever. But perhaps…" Dumbledore mused before reaching in, pulling out a bean and popping it into his mouth.

"Alas," he said with a perfectly straight face, "Earwax"

Harry's face crunched up in disgust while Straw chuckled.

"Well now, I must depart. Madam Pomfrey will be along to check on you in awhile. I have no doubt that you will be able to leave shortly. You won't have to worry about your end of term tests, I canceled them, seeing what a stressful year the school has had. I understand your friend Hermione was quite upset by this," Dumbledore said as he got up and walked away.

Harry chuckled at the thought of Hermione distraught over not having tests.

"Speaking of your friends," Dumbledore announced as he reached the door. Grabbing the handles, he flung the door open, causing Harry's friends to stumble into the room.

"Harry can see visitors now," Dumbledore informed them, before walking past, humming to himself. Straw chuckled to himself as the other's righted themselves.

"Harry!" Ron called, rushing over to him. Suddenly, he slid to a stop as he caught sight of Ganthet floating next to Harry.

"Bloody Hell" he whispered to himself as he stared at the small floating man, the others mimicking his response.

"Greetings, I am Ganthet," Ganthet introduced himself, unperturbed by the group's stares.

"H-Hello," Hermione said, stepping forward, "I'm-"

"Hermione Granger," Ganthet said, cutting her off before looking around the room and listing names, "And the rest of you are Timothy Hunter, Ronald Weasley, Misty Kilgore, Neville Longbottom, Raven Buttenholm, Sebastian Faust, Daimon Hellstrom, and Gemma Masters."

"How do you know that?" Harry asked.

"I scanned your mind while you were unconscious. I felt I might as well make myself comfortable in my new home," Ganthet explained.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense" Harry said with uncertainty.

"Okay, really now," Raven spoke up, annoyed, "Who are you?"

Ganthet started to explain but Harry stopped him by raising his hand.

"If you don't mind, Ganthet, I'd rather be the one to explain it to them," Harry said.

"Very well," Ganthet consented.

Harry then spent the next few minutes explaining everything. He told them about his encounter with Voldemort, entering the paint realm, receiving the Starheart and using it, before retelling Ganthet's story about what the Starheart was and what it was used for. He finished the story by telling them about the two prophecies that had been told about him.

"Wow Harry," Ron said with awe, "That's pretty…that's a lot to take in, mate."

"Tell me about it," Harry replied with a chuckle.

"Thanks for sharing it with us, Harry," Misty said, sincerity oozing from her words.

"Yeah, we're with you Harry," Tim added, the others nodding in agreement.

Harry smiled and looked away, feeling a little teary eyed. He tried to collect himself as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he found Raven smiling down at him.

"Chin up, Scarface," she teased him, "You didn't think you were in this by yourself, did you?"

"Thanks," Harry said with smile.

"Oh, I can't believe I almost forgot!" Hermione suddenly cried as she pulled out a newspaper, and put it on Harry's lap, "This happened while you were unconscious!"

Harry picked up the paper and looked at the headlines with a confused expression. His eyes widened with surprise as he continued to read. "Sorcerer Supreme Abolishes Statue of Secrecy! Displays Magic before Muggle UN!"

"Is this true!" Harry asked turning to the others.

"It is, mate," Ron nodded, "I still can't believe it."

"Apparently the Sentinels of Magic have been debating it for awhile now," Hermione explained.

"The Minister apparently wasn't a fan of the idea," Raven added, "But, as you can see, he ended up getting out voted."

"Not by a lot," Sebastian added, "A lot of people are protesting them. Seem to think we should just Obliviate the whole lot of them."

"They'll need a lot of wands for that," Hermione commented as she showed Harry the London Times. The headline read "Magic Real! So Called 'Sorcerer Supreme' reveals ancient conspiracy." It was accompanied by a non-magical photo of a man dressed in a long robe standing before the UN, his hands held above his head as he levitated a large number of desks into the air.

"Wow," Harry said, looking at it, "That certainly made an impression."

"No kidding," Daimon chuckled.

"So everything's going to change now? For the wizarding world that is," Harry asked.

"Yeah, things will be different next year," Raven answered.

"All right," Gemma said, catching everyone's attention, "I think we ought to let Harry get his rest."

The others agreed, and said their goodbyes before heading towards the door, except for Raven, who hung back.

"I'll catch up to you guys," she said as they looked back at her.

"Raven?" Harry asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you," she replied as she sat in the chair next to his bed.

"About what?" Harry questioned.

"About what you said earlier, about that prophecy," she said, looking uncomfortable.

"Why? You think it's going to get bad?" Harry asked.

"I do. But not just because of that," she replied.

"I think I'll take my leave," Ganthet said, sensing Raven wanted to be alone with Harry before disappearing.

"What is it Raven?" Harry asked again.

"Well, like I said it's about prophecies, just not the ones you told us about," Raven explained.

"Raven?" Harry questioned, though he felt he was beginning to understand.

"When I was born, there was a prophecy told about me as well," Raven said, looking at her hands folded in her lap.

"What did it say about you?" Harry inquired.

"It simplest terms, it said that I would lead to the end of the world."

Harry said nothing as he stared at her with wide eyes, to shocked to speak.

"You see my father is a demon," Raven explained.

"You mean Hellboy? I knew that," Harry responded.

"No, you see though he raised me since my birth, my dad…Hellboy is actually my brother," Raven elaborated.

"Your brother? Then who is your father?"

"He's a general of Hell, one of Lucifer's chief lieutenants. He is the living embodiment of wrath. His name is Trigon and he is a destroyer of worlds."

"Wow," Harry whispered in shock, "W-What does that mean for you?"

"Both me and Hellboy were sired by him so that we can ultimately open a portal to Hell and let him through to our plane."

"But neither of you would ever do that! You're not evil," Harry exclaimed.

"The prophecy seems to indicate that we won't have a choice in the matter," Raven replied sadly.

"No! It's not going to happen!" Harry said defiantly, "Dumbledore just told me that the future isn't set in stone. Prophecies don't have to happen! And we will make sure it won't!"

Raven just stared at Harry for a few moments, taken aback by his sudden bravado. Then a smile crossed her face as tears began to well up in her eyes. Standing up, she quickly threw her arms around him and pulled the smaller boy into a hug. Harry was surprised for a moment before he hugged her back.

"Thanks, Harry," she said, pulling back and wiping her eyes, "That means a lot to me."

"Don't worry about it," Harry said with a shrug, "There's just one thing."

"What's that?" Raven asked.

"You help me with my prophecy, and I'll help you with yours," Harry stated plainly, holding out his hand.

"Deal," Raven replied with a laugh, taking Harry's hand and shaking it.

"Okay Harry, I should get out of here, before Madam Pomfrey kicks me out," Raven said as she got up to leave, "You get better, okay kid?"

"Yeah sure," Harry said with a smile. Raven returned the grin before turning and walking away, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.

_A few days later_

Daimon sat by the window of his room, staring out at the castle grounds, lost in thought. As he sat, Sebastian walked in, carrying a few books with him.

"All packed up Daimon?" he asked as he put the books down. Getting no response, he turned and looked at Daimon with a quizzical eye, "Daimon? Daimon!"

Daimon jumped in his seat, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Sorry mate, didn't hear you come in," he apologized.

"Are you alright?" Sebastian asked, eyeing his best friend curiously.

"Yeah, just thinking about how I'm going to miss this place," Daimon explained.

"Miss it? We're only going to be gone for the summer, Daimon," Sebastian stated.

Daimon let out a sigh as he turned to face the window again.

"I'm not coming back next year, Bastian," Daimon said plainly.

"What are you getting on about?" Sebastian asked, "Of course you're coming back, next year."

"Satanna's out there somewhere, Bastian," Daimon stated, turning back to Sebastian while pointing out the window, "I have to go find her."

"They train Aurors for that, Daimon. This isn't something you have to do," Sebastian argued.

"She's my sister, and that makes her my responsibility. I'm the one who has to go out there and find her!" Daimon insisted, "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"You wouldn't expect me to understand!" Sebastian yelled incredulously, "Do you remember who my father is! You think I don't want to be out there hunting him down!"

"But you're not!" Daimon shouted back, getting right up in Sebastian's face, "And that is your choice. And this is mine."

The two glared at each other for a few moments, breathing heavily. After a tense moment, Sebastian turned away and walked over to his bed before leaning against it.

"So when are you leaving?" he asked, not looking at Daimon.

"Today," Daimon said simply, his voice loosing its edge, "I just wanted to say goodbye first."

"The girls aren't going to like this you know," Sebastian pointed out with a chuckle.

"I know," Daimon replied, smiling, "Make sure they go easy on me, won't you?"

"I'll do my best," Sebastian answered as he began to rummage through his things. A few moments later, he pulled out a simple brown bag.

"Here," he said, turning and presenting it to Daimon, "Take him."

"What!" Daimon said with surprise, "I can't take Blue, he has an oath to serve you."

"And part of that oath is that I can pass on his servitude to whomever I wish. I can't go with you, Daimon, but I can make sure you don't go it alone," Sebastian explained.

Daimon smiled warmly at his friend as he took the bag. Holding it before him, he opened the bag and peeked inside. Inside, he found a demonic skull looking back at him.

"Guess you work for me now, Blue," he chuckled before closing the bag.

"I'll take good care of him," Daimon told Sebastian.

"Of that, I have no doubt," Sebastian replied.

The two embraced, patting each other on the back as they did so.

"You be careful out there, Daimon," Sebastian said.

"Hey," Daimon shrugged while grinning, as he picked up a traveling bag and slung it over his shoulder, "You know me."

"Exactly," Sebastian chuckled, "That's why I'm telling you to be careful."

Daimon laughed as he stepped onto the windowsill, and opened the window. A gust of wind tussled his red hair as he looked out of it. Turning, he secured the bag containing Blue's bones to his belt.

"Well, this is where I make my exit," Daimon said as he stepped up to the edge of the window, "Be seeing you, Bastian."

"Be seeing you, Daimon," Sebastian replied with a smirk.

With that, Daimon hopped out of the window and quickly fell out of view. Sebastian stared out the window for a few moments before slowly walking up to the window and closing. Sighing, he turned around and walked back towards his bed and began to pack his things.

_Meanwhile_

Voldemort sighed for what must have been the thousandth time. He wasn't sure how long he had been sealed within the infernal contraption, but it felt like at least a few weeks. Hissing to himself, his serpentine astral form began to crawl around the small confines of his prison. After his rage at loosing the Starheart to Potter, being beaten by him, then having his soul sealed within this tin can had passed, Voldemort found what was worst about his entrapment was the unrelenting boredom he felt while in it.

But it gave him time to think and plan, and the more time he took, the closer he would come to discovering a way out of this prison. If he only knew where to begin.

Suddenly, Voldemort noticed something. The shadows had seemingly become deeper and darker. He could no longer feel the walls of his prison pushing in on him. And within those shadows, the Dark Lord sensed a presence.

"_Who'sssss there_!" he demanded.

As he asked, Voldemort heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Soon, two figures emerged from the darkness. One was a large man, standing over six feet tall with a muscular build. He was covered from head to toe in smooth metal armor. He wore a deep green tunic over his armor, which was secured by a yellow cord. He also wore a long green cloak as well, also tied with a yellow cord. He wore the hood up, covering his armored head. Sickly, yellow eyes stared out at Voldemort from behind the man's metal mask, and he could just make out scars running all around the eyes.

Next to the armored man was another man, this one covered mostly by a long, black cloak. The only other parts of him that could be seen were his black gloved hands and his face. His face looked like that of a human skull, with two grey eyes sitting in their sockets. His cloak's hood was also pulled up over his head.

"Greetings, Lord Voldemort," the armored man greeted with a deep voice.

"_Who are you_?" Voldemort questioned.

"I am Victor von Doom," the armored man introduced himself, giving a courteous bow, "However, most refer to me as Dr. Doom."

"This is my associate," he gestured to the other man, who nodded towards Voldemort, "You may call him Dr. Destiny."

"_How are you here_?" Voldemort asked.

"My associate here is very adept at moving through the Astral Plane. He told me it wasn't all that difficult," Doom explained, "though we aren't truly here, merely projections in your mind."

"_I assumed so. Why are you here_?" Voldemort questioned.

"I am well aware of your reputation," Doom stated, "As I'm sure you are aware of mine."

"_Yes_," Voldemort relented, "_I am familiar with the von Dooms_"

"Well, it had come to my attention that you had returned from your untimely demise and had been captured. I decided that I should lend you my services."

"_And why would you do that_?" Vodemort asked, immediately suspicious.

"I simply believe that we can come to an arrangement that would be beneficial to the both of us," Doom said simply, as he began to walk around Voldemort "In return for your future services, I will have someone in my employ release you. Then, sometime in the future, maybe I will find a way to give you your body back."

Doom stopped and looked Voldmort in the eye.

"What do you say, Lord Voldemort?" he asked.

Voldemort looked thoughtful for a few moments before looking at Doom with a serpentine grin.

"_What'sss the plan?_"

_Later,_

Harry sat on the Hogwarts Express, looking out the window as his friends talked around him. A tap on his shoulder brought his attention back to the conversation.

"Hey Harry," Ron asked, "I was just wondering why you're taking the train? Isn't there a Portkey near the school that will take you to that government building where you are staying?"

"Yeah but Raven told me how she likes to take the train back with her friends and then Mr. Constantine and Ms. Zatara pick us up," Harry explained, "So, I decided to travel on the train with you guys too."

"Speaking of friends," Hermione spoke up, "Is it true what they were saying about Daimon? That he left to find his sister?"

"That's what Raven said," Harry answered, "She was kind of mad at him for leaving without saying anything. She was also mad at Sebastian for not trying harder to stop him."

"You think he'll be alright?" Misty asked, concerned.

"Daimon is pretty tough, I bet he'll be fine," Tim answered.

Harry nodded in agreement as he looked back out the window. As he did, a confused expression crossed his face.

"Are we slowing down?" he asked.

The other's looked up and around as well.

"You're right," Hermione agreed "but we're not in London yet."

They quickly moved to the window and looked out. The train had stopped on a bridge over a large ravine. Not seeing anything, Harry quickly reached up and pulled the window open. He and a few of the others stuck their heads out, the wind ruffling their hair as they tried to see why the train had stopped.

"What the bloody hell is that!" Ron exclaimed.

"I don't know," Tim replied, "But they don't look good!"

Without a word, Harry stepped up so he was standing on the edge of the window.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "What are you doing!"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," he replied "But Tim's right. Those things don't look good, and someone has to do something! And I have the power to do it!"

The others looked on in stunned silence, surprised by Harry's bravery and abruptness.

"You guys keep safe!" he said, before leaping out the window.

"What an idiot," Hermione said plainly as she watched Harry fall.

As Harry fell, the Starheart began to glow. It quickly grew into a full gauntlet while his veins began to glow. His hair changed color while his eyes glowed and the power of the Heart flowed around him. After transforming, he began to level off in the air, before shooting upwards, the others watching in amazement as he flew past.

"_Are you sure this is a wise decision_?" Ganthet asked in his head.

"Weren't you the one who was all about protecting people?" Harry questioned back.

"_Yes, but do you think you are prepared for this_?"

"Come on. What's the worst that could happen?" Harry asked as he flew towards the city, observing the large flying objects descending on the city.

A/N: And done! Well, I started the fic a little less then a year ago and I can say that I really didn't expect to get it done now. And yes I'm leaving it on a cliffhanger. I'm evil I know. I want to thank all of you for reading this fic and sticking with me through the whole thing. You guys are great and the reason I write these fics. Also thanks to all you who voted. It seems that the next two fics I will be writing are Batman: First Steps and Metropolis! Hopefully I'll be able to get the first chapters of those out soon. They're definitely going to be long fics, especially the Batman one, so I hope you'll like them. Until then, Later, True Believers!


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